Visit the kelpforest....

senoritafish @ 2009-07-09T14:31:00

2009-07-09T21:31:17Z

Being, for all intents and puposes, deaf in one ear is really making me appreciate my (unimpeded) hearing. I find myself really getting overwhelmed by multiple conversations and sounds going on around me and just want to go hide in a silent place for awhile. I have little directionality to voices I hear coming from my deaf side; I just now thought someone talking was in the opposite direction they actually were. I didn't realize it until I finally recognized whose voice it was and where they had to be.

senoritafish @ 2009-07-07T21:57:00

2009-07-08T04:57:36Z

On the way home from my book group at Barnes & Marmoset, Avalon announced:

"Mom, when I get big, I'm gonna make a book. And it's going to be called:

Get Out of the Tub! You're Pruning!

...and it's going to have chapters."

Old cats and sundogs...

2009-07-07T22:27:37Z

Stimpson J. was being unusually sociable this afternoon, so I took a bunch of closeups; this was runsamuck's favorite (Stimp's always been his baby). I like this one.

Stimpy cat
Huntington Beach Ca
Canon EOS 1000D
10 June 2009

Weather phenomenon...

senoritafish @ 2009-06-09T14:24:00

2009-07-06T21:24:54Z

Buses at my kid's school
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
9 June 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-06-07T11:08:00

2009-07-06T18:08:08Z

I had a pair of khaki jeans I couldn't wear to work because I'd gotten a large permanent stain on them. They were otherwise good pants, so I decided to dye them.

Brown muck in the washing machine
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
7 June 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-06-06T16:31:00

2009-07-05T23:31:18Z

Neighbor's front walk
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
6 June 2009

...And the kids wanted to visit the birdhouse place again...

I wonder if I could list this place on Waymarking.com, or would that generate too much traffic?

senoritafish @ 2009-06-05T15:57:00

2009-07-05T22:57:53Z

Roof gone, innards going
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
5 June 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-06-04T15:49:00

2009-07-05T22:49:53Z

Rafters going
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 100D
4 June 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-07-05T14:46:00

2009-07-05T21:46:12Z

And my brother tells me I need to relearn how to knit because this pattern is free!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer09/PATTcrab.php

senoritafish @ 2009-07-05T14:41:00

2009-07-05T21:41:59Z

Well, I'm glad I didn't buy tickets for Anime Expo ahead of time. I've been pretty much out of commision since Wednesday with an ear infection. Any Fourth activities were right out as well, although John did have some friends and his mom over to BBQ. Felt bad I couldn't take the kids over to the parade, but they at least got to walk over to school to watch the fireworks from the hill in front of Dwyer. They were supposed to have been extra special as Huntington Beach is 100 years old this year.

I went to the doctor Wednesday and the nurse practitioner who saw me prescribed some antibiotic ear drops, but nothing else-seemed odd, as when my kids have gotten them they get an oral antibiotic as well. They seem to be taking forever to work. I'm laying off on the ibuprofen today to see if anything has actually improved. It still hurts and the left side of my face is still swollen (making it difficult to chew), but I don't think I'm getting the stabbing pains quite as often. It's still all clogged up though; the only thing I can hear though it is the whooshing of my own pulse. I've already missed three days of work, and I have an assignment that's pretty urgent to do, dammit. I don't think I can take any more time off.

I will later in the month though - we got word last week we get to take another furlough day a month. Whee.

Kids are a little disappointed about Anime Expo; we could only afford to go for one day, but I'll have to see if there are any other local cons we can go to later in the year.

senoritafish @ 2009-06-03T21:40:00

2009-07-02T04:40:20Z

Roof gone
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
3 June 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-06-02T10:17:00

2009-06-30T17:17:31Z

Last day this house is whole. This is the same property where the owner cut the tree down on Earth Day. It was originally built in the 20's, and used to be the offices for Standard Oil - Huntington Beach being founded on the oil in the area, so there's a bit of city history behind it. I'm not sure when it was converted to a home, but it has been so for a very long time. The previous owner unfortunately had to sell it to cover his son's bout's in rehab; finally the son went to jail (again) and the parents split up. The new owner, after swearing he wasn't going to tear it down, decided he had to have another McMansion like every other new person who moves into this neighborhood -already started in the backyard - he had to wait until the tenant he was renting the house to move out to start the front.

It's not a fancy house, but it's older than two other city buildings nearby that are on County and National Historic Registers. I'm very sad about this.

Old Standard Oil House
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
2 June 2009

The sky was filled with lots of little brushstroke clouds in almost parallel rows...

By the time I left work, they turned into zigzags...

(Much as I'm sad about the house, I'm pleased I bought a polarizing filter.)

senoritafish @ 2009-06-01T14:56:00

2009-06-29T21:56:32Z

Darn it, I've worn a hole in my Crocs. And Costco only has green ones right now. >:p

I've got sole...
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
1 June 2009

I note that Facebook has a "I Don't Care How Comfortable They Are - You Look Like A Dumbass!" group. I was tempted to start a "If I Cared What You Think I Look Like, I Wouldn't Be Wearing Ugly Purple Shoes, But I Am Quite Comfortable, Thank You - I May Wear Them More Often Now, Just To Bug You" group, but there's already a ton of Croc fan groups...

senoritafish @ 2009-05-31T12:19:00

2009-06-29T19:19:08Z

A belated anniversary present - I think I ordered these a day or two before our anniversary, but was too cheap to pay for overnight shipping when regular delivery was free. Levenger had a sale on some really nice pens, so I got one for each of us. With initials even!

"Demonstrator" pens
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
31 May 2009

I did get runsamuck something for the actual day (a Jack Skellington t-shirt from Dismalland) and we did go out to a nice dinner sans kids. So a happy 14th was had, even with tardy gifts. How has it been that long?

Writer's Block: Streaming

2009-06-28T04:58:03Z

What is your favorite site for listening to music online?

View other answers

Most often lastfm.com or I have several stations on Pandora. I also love Radio Paradise. I don't get much opportunity to listen though - much competition for the PC here and not allowed to listen/watch streaming sites at work - slows the network down too much. So I depend on my 'pod for music - I have several Tune o' the day podcasts that I probably catch up on once a week or so.

senoritafish @ 2009-06-27T18:05:00

2009-06-28T01:05:17Z

Gareth, Angus and I did this today. Twas fun!

Avalon and runsamuck were also going to participate but he had to go over to his dad's to do some work at the last minute, and she was invited to go the beach with her friend two doors down as we were walking out the door to head over there.

It was based on this, although not nearly as many geocachers showed:

I wasn't near enough to hear any comments, but there were a few people freaking out from what I understand.

senoritafish @ 2009-06-25T14:26:00

2009-06-25T21:26:11Z

I saw a very sweet thing driving to work this morning. I made a right turn from Seal Beach Blvd. onto Lampson to head to my office, and ahead of me, saw a police car stopped in the right lane with its lights flashing. At first I thought someone was being pulled over, but then I noticed the cop walking around his car to the lawn. I was kind of trapped behind him for a few minutes as car behind me were all going around, and it was then I noticed the puddle in the gutter next to the police car contained about six ducklings. Mama duck was anxiously going back and forth on the grass above them, and the officer was trying to help the babies get up the curb to mom. Although every time he got on one side of them, they would run the other direction. The last I saw before I finally was able to move was that he had gotten some sort of flat object out of the car to either herd them a bit more effieciently, or to place against the curb so they could hop up. I don't know how it worked out, but it was nice to see him stopping traffic to help out the wildlife, at least.

In other encounters with local law enforcement, Saturday evening I turned in a intoxicated driver. Angus, Avalon and I were going to check out a nearby geocache, but when I turned onto Goldenwest, I noticed a black Silverado pickup in front of me that weaved in the lane, then drifted left and the tires bounced off the curb of the island in the middle of the street. Then he went the other direction. I decided to keep him in front of me so I could keep an eye on him. He contined weaving and was having serious problems staying in his lane. As it happened we both got into the same lane to turn left on Garfield. He sat for awhile after the light turned green - all the other cars had gone - and then turned so wide he almost hit the curb again, narrowly missing a pedstrian who holding his child and waiting to cross the street. That's when I decided he needed to be reported. I called 911, and I guess I must have sounded pretty excited, because they told me I was talking too fast and to calm down. The officer said not to do anything crazy to keep up with him, but to try and keep him in sight; someone was being sent after him. They kept me on the phone until a motorcycle caught up with us at the Warner/Edwards signal (where he did the same thing as in the left turn lane). Thereupon, they put their lights on and pulled him over on the other side of the signal. I was instructed to pull onto a residential street in the officer wanted to talk to me. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I called the number they'd told me to, and a female officer said they had my cell phone number and I was free to leave. Made it too dark to get to the geocache, but we had a nice walk nevertheless. The officer who'd pulled the guy over called me later in the evening and said the guy had been "heavily medicated" and shouldn't have been driving at all. Seriously, I hear about pedestrians and bicylists getting hit by people driving off the road quite often, and the thought has crossed my mind while I'm waiting at a bus stop with semis whooshing by at 50 mph not six feet from where I'm sitting. It's a scary thought. Keep your kids outta the street, Mama duck.

senoritafish @ 2009-05-29T16:59:00

2009-06-24T23:59:35Z

My MIL is obsessed with all things Native American, and collects these figures (you know, from the little post cards that fall out women's magazines if you shake 'em) that get sent to her once month. Whatever; I used to do the same with Star Trek plates. They're all statuesque winged women in buckskin dresses, all holding dream catchers... and it seems to me, all look very Caucasian. She's got about four shelves of them.

Dreamcatcher angels
Long Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
29 May 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-05-26T16:17:00

2009-06-24T23:18:06Z

I never used to see this when I was kid. Ducks on people's lawns. Here a pair of mallard drakes enjoy someone's newly mown grass on their feet.

Mighty ducks
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
26 May 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-05-25T15:58:00

2009-06-24T22:58:13Z

This is an actual zeppelin - i.e. not a blimp, a rigid-framed airship - built up in the Bay Area, and it spent Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California. It happened to be flying up the coast as we were driving home, and I inisted runsamuck pull over on the bluff above the Dog Beach so I could snap it.

Airship Eureka
Dog Bluffs, Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
25 May 2009

It's actually about 50 ft longer than the Goodyear blimp, but only a third the size of the old giagantic ones in the 20's. You can book rides on it for about $375. The next morning, it headed back up to Moffet Field - the ship has a GPS tracker on its website, so you can follow where it's flying. It's supposed to come back over the Fourth of July Weekend.

senoritafish @ 2009-06-22T14:45:00

2009-06-22T21:45:25Z

Last time I travelled, I came across an article in one of those backseat magazines that had some nifty places to stay; I wrote down all the websites to check out later and I just came across that piece of paper on my desk (putting them here so I can throw it in the recycling). I'd love to try them out sometime. Maybe after the kids have moved out.

Sweden - a 747 that's been turned into a hostel.

Switzerland - The Anti-Luxury Hotel - 0 Starsl

military-style bunks in place of beds
hot water bottles to make up for no central heating
earplugs in case you can’t sleep because of the noise from the fans
complimentary slippers if floors are icy
no windows, just four white walls everywhere you look
hot water to shower in is limited, hence wheel of fortune will determine who will have to shower in cold water

Idaho - For the Ultimate Beagle Lover

Austria - Sleep in a drainpipe.

Netherlands - stay in a lighthouse, a lifeboat, or a crane in the harbor...

And finally, not a hotel, but you can buy one to live in...Tree Pod Houses.

senoritafish @ 2009-05-24T13:17:00

2009-06-21T20:17:59Z

Talked my brother into coming down and trying to go grunion watching, as it was an early 10 pm run, and the kids didn't have school the next day. We went to Seal Beach because it's one of hte few that doesn't close at 10 pm. He brought a bunch of friends with him, including new beau from Sweden, and his dog Luna, an Italian greyhound who's completely blind now. Unfortunately, we got skunked; nary a scout even showed up. I felt a little bad because one friend had come before and we hadn't seen any - he's going to believe they don't actually exist. I'm a little floored at how international Doug's friends are; the other two were from France and South America.

Seal Beach Pier and no grunion
Seal Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
24 May 2009

Must have been some very large surf recently to cut this steep berm...

Trying to just use available light to get Doug, Ivor, and Luna - the camera kept wanting to focus on the bright oil rig in the background, though.

senoritafish @ 2009-04-18T16:39:00

2009-06-17T23:39:38Z

Couldn't resist - I had to buy a box. Whatnhell is going on with the milk though? Is the Enterprise torpedoing it?

Fannish cereal
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
18 May 2009

senoritafish @ 2009-05-16T16:40:00

2009-06-16T23:40:23Z

I'm not deaf; I'm ignoring you.

Stimpy really prefers our neighbor's front walk to ours. When he's not telling us it's breakfast time, he can usually be found taking a nap there.

Stimpson J. Cat
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
16 May 2009

Neighbor's - not mine.

senoritafish @ 2009-05-15T16:22:00

2009-06-16T23:22:42Z

Another walk with Angus, where I let him use my old camera, and we took pictures together. We walked through a small office complex a few blocks from home, across the street from the Civic Center, mainly because he wanted to see the ducks that hang out in the waterscaping there. I know we've walked through here before, but for some reason I'd never noticed this old silo (I think that's what it is), right in the middled of the complex. When my family first moved here, long before the offices were built, there was an old mansion a hundred yards away (it burned down - rather conveniently - shortly thereafter retirement apartments for senior were built), and stables not far in the other direction. Huntington Beach used to be a big farming community, and this is about all that's left of it in this neighborhood.

Silo
Huntington Beach CA
Canon EOS 1000D
15 May 2009

You can tell it's fairly old from the state of the roof.

And I don't know how I missed it before, because it's huge, maybe not as silos go, but at least in comparison to the offices. I'll have to see if I can find out some history behind this; I'm glad they let something old stand and just built around it.