That is an egret, I think, taken with my ancient little digital camera. I am lobbying for a new camera and even picked it out. Just waiting to have money to get it, ha!

Anyway, this was taken on one of our trips on the boat.

Writing Friday

I had a very wonderful Friday, in the sense that I wrote and wrote and wrote ~ tons today. In my notebook. Long-hand. 15 pages. It makes me feel good to do it.

I'm thinking of taking the time to type out all that I wrote and timing myself to see how long it takes. I also wrote a three-page letter to someone that I know cannot read my writing so that will definitely have to be typed as well.

It's ragingly hot here. My desktop weather.com says it felt like 100 degrees outside today. It is just too much. If you have A/C, stay inside. If you don't, go to the library and sit in the A/C, go somewhere that has it.

Thank you, Raine for encouraging me to keep writing on the blog.

I learned about Advanced Directives on Thursday, how to write them and it's about encouraging people to write them.

Advanced directives are about writing what you want, in terms of a psychiatric advanced directive what you want or don't want done in the case of a psychiatric emergency. If you want or don't want certain medications, who you would like or not like to visit you, etc. - it's about making decisions while you are well for those times that you may be unwell and unable to express what you want. Our state seems to be getting more and more interested in helping the mentally ill help themselves, and this is a big one in the advance in that direction.

I may be helping people with them at the Drop-In Center, but I am definitely not an expert so it may be a long time before that happens.

I've got an 'In Our Own Voice' presentation on Monday for our local Clubhouse staff.

Went fishing last Sunday. I used small minnows for bait and for the first time in my life I actually caught three little small-mouth bass. It was a thrill. That little boat and this new discovery has been the best investment. Summer = fishing.

I am also working on an easy slipper pattern in knitting. And I bought some pea green yarn to do a baby blanket. The mom-to-be chose that color in her nursery so I know she likes it. I picked a Lionbrand.com free baby blanket pattern knit it in.

The Jungle is doing well. Little Blossom Pug has a tooth issue that can wait till February so at least I can save up money for that. Both Emma Pug and Blossom will have to have Bordatella and dog virus shots for when they are boarded for this Christmas (it's a Wisconsin year!).

Reese, my beautiful Siamese on the other hand lost 3 pounds in one year and that really concerns the vet. They did tests and he does Not have kidney issues or Thyroid issues, common ailments for older cats (beautiful or no, that's a joke) thank God. So they dared to suggest Cancer. I said no, maybe I haven't given him wet food in a while. Maybe his teeth are bad and he does not like dry food. They said feed him all you want for 2 weeks and then re-check him for weight gain. So I feed him wet food three times a day in the hopes to fatten him up. He LOVES it. Eats it right up. Nothing wrong with his appetite. :)

He loves to be up on the table where my laptop is. My desktop died a few months ago and Husband set me up with a laptop (never underestimate his computer powers - he puts these laptops together himself, he's a computer geek for a living!!)

So now you know what I've been up to lately. I hope everyone is well, and doing the best they can in blogland. :)

Back from Vacation

I had a wonderful week, visiting my Mom. I went fishing, caught a Spanish Mackeral (a very weird fish with teeth!), saw dolphins, boated, saw beautiful beaches, ate the best shrimp ever, swam in the pool nearly every day (and got a rooster red sunburn mostly on my back!), had long talks with my Mom, and even played pool with my Mom. It was a very special time and she looks great. She is very healthy right now and happy.

I also visited my inlaws. It is always a bit of trial for me to go there. I am not sure what it is but I feel squashed there. The moods come up and there is strong encouragement, just by weird osmosis, for me to suppress who I am and what I feel. As long as I make everything look normal, they are happy. Wanda talked about 'undamaged wealthy people' on her blog, and I am sure that these must be them. The thing is that they are damaged people too, its just about suppression of their own selves and others, in this case anyway.

But when I get on the road and start coming home and listen to some music and talk to my husband eventually I shake off those bad feelings. I am so glad to be home and have the Jungle all together again. We brought the dogs with us and pet-moteled the cat. I know Reese kitty is glad to be home too (it's too loud for Princely kitties in the pet motel!)

The sunburn is bad, but the sunburn spray is Cold and icky so I am just handling it. It's good to be back and I will visit you all as I can.:)
Good times to you,
Tart

I have some pictures of my Spanish Mackeral catch that I can put up on the 'Good Stuff' blog. Give me a couple of days to get my pics loaded on the computer.:)

And it all comes Tumbling out! (the new edition of Going's ons!)

I've been going through a dry period of not writing often on the blog, but I am not down and out! Oh no, I'm still here, still the original Jungletart from February of 2006, and I still Roar!

I have some good things going on in my life right now. I am doing the 'Baking Opportunity' which just got very 'real feeling' since I got Finally got paid on Thursday. Yaaaay!

I am now also a Library Volunteer at my local library. See my sister blog of goodness and happiness, Jungletart's Good Stuff for more happiness and joy on the subject!

I will be a Newspaper Indexer, yes, an unpaid position, entering geneology information into my state's database. I am so excited about this!

I feel I have been led by God to this position, not even knowing now how it will all 'pan out,' what its true purpose is in my life.

I doo think it will teach me more time management at home, structure my day more (one of my goals - see sidebar), and teach me what it's like to be self-disciplined and work at home.

It seemed to just fall in my lap now, after I had done the work by filling out the application and WAITING, months I believe, to actually be called. To be called.:)

This job is right up my alley, since I love to be on the computer and be at home and be away from people. Yup, you heard it here, I can be alone and happy for looooong periods of time.

Heck, my husband's home now, and I'm in the home office typing away. I should probably get off of here and go hang out with him!

So, as it may work, for either a bipolar or just anyone, I don't know, a dry period is punctuated by a 'wet period' where I can type more or maybe I just have more to say.

Maybe I just saved it up for a while and now it all comes tumbling out. Maybe I'm just feeling better because I'm amped up on a Mega dose of Antibiotics.

That reminds me, besides all my psychotropic meds for bipolar and heart oriented things (high blood pressure & high cholesterol) they put me on antibiotics because of this Really Ugly Bug Bite on my leg that is very infected and almost sent me to the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotics(!).

Who knew a bug bite could be such a whopper? And I believe I received this in my backyard, too!

The Doc will see me on Aug. 21, to check on that and to check on the second kidney, etc., test they took on me a few days ago.

It seems the numbers are funny and he wants to make sure they are consistently funny before deciding what to do about it.

I Certainly Hope none of this will interfere with my real vacation coming up on Aug 28 - Sept. 1!

August 28 is the national holiday of my birthday for some already, and soon to be sweeping the world, I am sure!

I am soooo excited because my inlaws have actually invited us to a major beach (we are their second choice but that's okay, because I'm goooooing!!!) for that weekend!

I hear there is a pier there and I am looking forward to casting my hook in its probably overfished waters. Yaaaaay! I'm such a kid.

I have also lost 5 pounds, by being good and having salads and sort of watching my Points (a Weight Watchers thing)!!

I have finally gotten under a certain number so I hope this is not losing bizarre water weight or something - but as you can tell, I'm Happy about it! Let's hope this is Real!

Also, I started Physical Therapy again on Monday for my back. Oh, this is good stuff people!

If you have problems with your back, you should know about strengthening your core, the muscles in the abdomen are going to help.

And you've got to learn how to activate those muscles without giving yourself a sway back (if you're like me and have scoliosis and naturally want to stick out your butt when trying to find where the heck those muscles are located!).

I'm supposed to practice 'activated my core' when sitting, standing, washing dishes - basically doing anything!

And the best part is today its Friday, and I feel like I get it, it's working. I'm keeping myself up straighter. I'm even imagining myself without any tire around me, I AM STRONG! or at least tall, purty and straight-backed!

And there you have it. I have been busy. Oh, and about that baby shower - we decided that we can only afford one trip states away this year (and hardly that!) and its going to be....drumroll......Christmas!!

Yes, Christmas is a big deal every two years in Husband's growing large family and we wouldn't miss it. Besides, as Raine pointed out, we will be able to see the actual baby then.:)

So, today, since I'm not going to the baby shower (and instead will be on vacaaation at the beach that day!) I shopped the baby registry online to buy gifts and am having them wrapped and sent to the lucky Mom for her shower.

Oh it was soo much fun! I'm not sad that I'm not the one having the baby, I'm genuinely excited for the Mom-to-be (Husband's cousin, states away) and now that they know they will have a daughter, it is just wonderfully fun.

I bought one item off their registry and then had to send them pink baby booties, which were not on the registry. I just think they are the cutest, most adorable things and what little baby girl couldn't use baby booties. Even if they got a ton, she can just start a shoe collection now.

And that's the goings ons for the Jungletart. Until I roar again...

Love, Tart

Living the Good Life on a Rented Boat! - aka a Warm, Toasty August Saturday!

Yesterday was a beautiful, warm Saturday day.

I went fishing A-gain! on a rented Jon boat with Husband, with our little put-put motor that we kept from the IG debacle (Indian Giver Debacle).

So we go down the river a ways and decide several times where to cast and stop for fishing, (we have this great anchor that we bring with us on these adventures) and get cooked, fried, hot, sweaty, bit, bugged a little (by bugs) and get really hurting backsides!

Even with a cushion that doubles as a life preserver, sitting on a Jon boat is hard on the bottom! Sometimes, you just have to stand up, in the middle of the boat, in the middle of the water!

Or, on the way put-putting back with that motor, (I say that because at one point Husband rowed, we were going soooo slowww!!) and Husband pushing it in the right direction (he's so much better at it than myself, believe me!), I hunkered down with the seat as my backrest, putting the cushion underneath me, and the rest of our life preservers as backrest and used my black umbrella (yes, I think of every comfort! and believe me, bringing that thing is one of the smartest things I bring) to shield myself from the sun and I swear I felt like I was on the Riviera or in Venice and got sleepy and napped or at least dozed for a little.:)

It was so warm and toasty under that umbrella, with my bug-eye sunglasses on, fishing hat and hair back in a small pony tail! My feet would feel burny (I was wearing my purple Speedo swim shoes that also double as pool shoes when I go to my aqua fit class) occasionally with all the sun on them, so I would tuck them under and try to shield them with the umbrella sometimes. Such is the life! and all on a rented Jon boat!

And Husband did indeed catch another fish, a medium-size catfish, caught on a double hook with a lead sinker on a line that he just drops in the water next to the boat, while he casts and pulls in another line (that I don't think could even have a chance to catch anything because it has no worms on it, and he pulls it in so fast! Just my 'fishy opinion' though!:).

As we left the house yesterday morning to go fishing, I noted that I forgot my camera, but we didn't want to go back and get it. Just figures, because we couldn't tell what kind of fish his catch was at first, so we netted it and took a look at it before getting it off the line and I probably could have a gotten a decent shot of it.

Aw well, you know what they look like, little tendrils of shocks coming out of their faces. We bring gloves with us now, since learning that they are really handy for getting the fish off the hook, especially since that river is Full o' catfish!

We're getting old for this, as hours on a boat, as relaxing and fun as it is, is a bit tiring! but I think it is so good for Husband to end his stressful work week this way and have some relaxation and Fun! I get sleepy being in that hot sun even when I come home and end up napping a little on the couch while watching 'Glamour's 100 Glamourous People 2008' or something like that. The Pugs aren't the only ones with the great life!:)

Tracy's site, Spiritual Brush Strokes, is experiencing technical difficulties on Explorer

If you use Internet Explorer to open and view Tracy's website (Spiritual Brush Strokes ) you will find that there is a little 'glitch' in it, as of this evening any way, where you can't open it (on Explorer, it works fine on Mozilla:).

I'm letting anyone know this who comes here, that she is waiting to see if Blogger will get over their 'little problems' and let her publish for everyone very soon.:)

I was in contact with her and she just wanted her Blogger Land friends to know that she was feeling a little grounded (especially because her ability to comment wasn't working for a bit but Now They Are!:) but that she expects this to work out soon. Let's hope so!!

I am going fishing A-gain in the morning, so I best be off to beddy-bye. Wish me luck!! I'll report back soon.
Love,
Tart

Check out the my 'sister blog' of joyousness!

Just missing Tracy something Fierce and posting a few good things over on my other blog of joyousness this evening. :)

I have pictures of my fish I caught on Tuesday, July 15th, and a rundown of all the wonderful things I have made so far at my bakery job as well as the recipe of what I cooked in a slow cooker this evening so that I could have a yummy dinner with my Husband and not have to run to McDonald's or the like tonight.

I don't know if Tracy knows how much she is missed, but I guess she will when she returns from vacation in the next couple of days.:) I consider her one of my best friends, heck I don't have many friends, so this is just going on Tooo Long and I will be so Glad when she is back!:)

So, I'm done posting for the evening, I'll see ya later!:)
:)Tart

Blessings!

On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, I caught the biggest fish of my life! It was a catfish, several feet long, and easily weighed as much as my Emma-dog, Emma-dog (18 pounds). I have two pictures of it, while it was in the water, hard to see how enormous it was.

I know I focused on how angry I was that IG instantly wanted the boat back as soon as he heard the good news (my fish story, not about Jesus, obviously - hee hee), but I didn't really talk about how amazing the fish was, or catching it, so there's a blessing that went unheralded.

The other blessing was the beauty and wonder and COMFORT of air conditioning. This time of year without it in my area is sweltering and well, beyond uncomfortable and HOT! Wouldn't you know it, ours went out on Friday, July 18th when I was cooking dinner and didn't realize that the waning of the microwave, lights and A.C. was the air conditioning unit outside going Kaput!

I wanted to go fishing this Saturday, this time in a rented boat, yes, I admit, mostly to prove that we could have a great time without the IG boat. We went, got toasted, fried, hot, sweaty and heated, smothered in sunscreen and bug spray and did not catch a thing! But we had a great time, Husband and myself putting around the river with our motor and trying to catch another fish! Blessings, again.

When we returned, I called the air conditioning people, fully expecting them not to be able to come until Monday and we were getting ready to measure the window in the bedroom in expectation of purchasing a window unit from Walmart. I left a message with the A.C. fixers. They called back within 20 minutes! saying they could come over within an hour! They did and fixed it for a fairly minimal price. We have A.C. again! WHAT A BLESSING!

So now I have pics from our days of fishing, a farmer's tan, and a newfound love for my A.C. - blessings all over the place!:)

Real Women Reel It In

I did catch a fish - 2 actually! I have two pictures of my small largemouth bass. My sunfish/crappie got away (before I could get a pic of it!) since no one was around to help net it while I took the picture - this is key if you're gonna get a picture of a flopping critter. I just want a picture/proof of capture, then the fish is set freee.

Cranky looking hunh!

Same fish. I Love this pic.

Not for the faint-hearted!! Warning!!

I caught them with WORMS!

I'm all girl AND not afraid to chop a worm and put in on my hook. Or help other people with their's. I think its great for women to feel pretty and to be able to handle this 'gross' stuff like a champ. They should teach it to girls everywhere and I don't mind being an example.

Okay, and now I'm leaving AGAIN to GO FISHING! Different location, these folks apparently use corn and hotdogs to lure their fishies. Personally, that's no fun. We're gonna use up our worms first, THEN try that other silly stuff.

I'll keep you posted probably after my return on Sunday. Great weekend to All!:)

Gone FISHing!!!!

Be Back Sunday! Yes, if we catch anything I'll tell you aaalll about it. Might have pictures!