Beauty

Venice Beach

I decided to write about pretty things....things that make me happy....things that make me feel alive. Being surrounded by so much beauty is something I can't even begin to take for granted, and I hope that I never get to the point where I can ignore all that is around me.

Passion Flower (from our backyard)

One experience that I hope to repeat soon, was swimming with the manatees at Crystal River. In our little swimming adventure, we followed a vein of water that emptied out into the most tranquil, beautiful cove. On the way to the cove, manatee families would pass just beneath me, pulling themselves along the sandy bottom. Time seemed to stand still. Tears built up in my eyes as I looked through the crystal clear waters, at the massive tree roots on each side of me. The boulders beneath me sparkled, and schools of fish were dotting past me here and there. I knew I had lost all perception of time, and thought of just how wonderful Heaven must be.


Crystal River




Ft. DeSoto Dog Beach


Trips to the dog beach are always a treat, too. Something I really look forward to. It's not beyond the dogs to enjoy God's beauty, so then what is our excuse, as humans?

Venice Beach

Josh and I just got back home from Venice Beach, where we had a shark tooth hunt competition. In the end, I came out with 10 more shark teeth than Josh. Ha! Though, I'll admit, I only got a few big teeth. The rest weren't that impressive. Josh did manage to get some good sized teeth in his collection. Below, is a pic of me at Venice Beach, with my trusty ziplock bag, ready to fill it up with shark teeth. Oh, and if you noticed that I lost some weight, it's only because I've been running like 5 billion miles a day on a regular basis. That's a sick hobby that I'll have to write about another day. lol

Though the hunt was on for shark teeth, Josh initially emerged from the water with a crab, instead. (and some really nice biceps :)

Once satisfied with the lobster shade of red on our backs, we decided to take a break from hunting shark teeth, and explore the nature trail at Venice Beach. We were in for a treat. We stumbled upon a very pretty cove, with a friendly and very curious bird, kind enough to let us photograph him.

Just as I was about to leave the cove, I noticed something really strange in the water. I was trying to make out what it was. An alligator? Maybe a mysterious sea creature? Oh, wait, it's Josh!

We continued our journey, walking through a field of pretty wild flowers. Of course, I just had to pick one and give it to Josh. It made him real pretty!



But, the fun was just starting, for we happened upon a playground!!!!
Like my ship?

We ended our evening with dinner at the Green Iguana. A beautiful end to a beautiful day!

Introducing Moses, the Bunny

Those of you who know Josh won't be shocked at the fact that we, once again, have 5 animals in our household. That's right. 3 dogs, a Guinea Pig, and the newest addition: Moses, a black bunny rabbit. We got him as a companion for our Guinea Pig, who has been lonely since saying goodbye to his ex roommie, even though the roommie tried tear him into shreds. I think I've adjusted well to being a Zoo Keeper's Wife. It's not unusual to find me walking around the house, doing chores with a Guinea Pig, or rabbit tucked under my arm. The dogs, rabbit, and Guinea Pig start off their mornings with a fresh carrot breakfast, thanks to the guinea pig who whistles until he has been given a carrot. Here's a pic, and pardon my boxer shorts ;)

Frequent activities within the zoo include trips to the dog beach. A day at the beach is a wonderful way for the dogs to burn off some energy. Ty, our lab mix, is always eager to follow her "Daddy" out into the waves.
Going to the beach:

Returning from the beach:See how taking the dogs to the beach can result in a nice, quiet night for Josh and I?Now that you've formally met Moses, I'll close with a pic of Moses, and his best bud, Quagmire.

Blalock Legacy Addition

I received a comment earlier from Harry Blalock, who stated:

"This post is completely bogus. If you didn't notice, there are no pictures of the oldest living male patriarch of the Blalock clan, me. And why not? Because I'm perfectly normal and sane and exhibit none of those traits. I happen to be mature, rational and reserved. I believe I've made my point." End quote.

Harry's post above, provides a prime example of how the virus can mutate as its host ages. These mutations often result in dementia. Harry, being the oldest living Blalock, has been exhibiting signs of a phenomenon known as selective dementia. He sometimes forgets his abnormalities. The 3 exhibits below, show Harry in his natural element, which he has forgotten due to selective dementia.

As stated in the previous article, women associated to the Blalock's by marriage can look normal in photos, as demonstrated by the beautiful Mrs. Harry Blalock. (above)

This should disprove Harry's comment.

A Blalock Family Legacy?

When I first exchanged vows and took on the Blalock name, I had yet to meet the rest of the Blalock's. I always knew Josh was a little uhm, shall we say, different. I thought that maybe he just had a unique way of expressing his personality. Little did I know, that he was just one from a long line of the Blalocks, exhibiting odd behavior. Please refer to exhibit 1, below.

I thought it possible, that I could take on the Blalock name, while keeping my individuality and maturity safely in tact. However, it turns out that what I thought was a Blalock genetic mutation, is actually viral, and highly contagious. Though I am not related by blood, I seem to have contracted the very same virus, plaguing the Blalocks for many generations. Please see exhibit 2, below.

Archives of medical journals, and multiple medical text books are all lacking identification of this particular virus. Though medical technology has advanced, there isn't sufficient funding allocated to research of the Blalock virus.

I have concluded that it may be passed from a male host, bearing the Blalock name, to the unsuspecting female counterpart, also known as the wife. It is then passed down to the children.

While the Blalock women by marriage are able to maintain some form of normalcy from time to time, their ability to lead normal lives in brought into question. If you look closely at the picture, you will realize something is not quite right. Exhibit 3.

How the virus affects one sibling more than the other is not completely understood at this point. It is believed that the male sibling is affected to a deeper extent, however, that remains to be determined. You will see the female Blalock sibling below, in exhibit 4

I have contacted many medical research teams, seeking answers to the age old "what's wrong with the Blalock's" question, but they will not come into contact with me, out of fear of contracting the virus. This subject is therefore pending further investigation.

The Blalock Saga Continues

In December '07, Josh was outprocessing the military, and seeking employment, without much luck. Adding to the pressure, the lease on our apartment was ending, effective midnight of New Years Eve. Without a place lined up to live, our apartment was neatly packed into rows of boxes.

Just getting the boxes is a story in itself. It involved Josh having to pee in a Starbuck's cup, on our anniversary. But, moving on, we found out 3 days prior to our move that Josh landed a promising job in Florida. After much prayer, and agony, we made the move. Josh drove a 26 ft. long Penske truck, towing my car behind it, while I drove the SUV, loaded down with household stuff, 3 dogs, and myself. We drove over New Years Eve, and New Years day. With a stop in Mississippi, where we spent the night at Josh's ex girlfriend's cousins' house. LOL Very sweet and wonderul couple put us up for a couple nights to give us a break. Then we finally arrived in FL, and it was then that an avocado green bath tub became beautiful in my eyes. Not for it's color, but for the hot, salt bath it offered my weary shoulders upon arrival.

So many things have transpired since our move 1) Josh is out of the military! 2) He and I now have GREAT tans! 3) We've both shaped up, since we changed our lifestyle to working out and keeping a healthy diet. 4) Poor Joe, our youngest dog recently lost his manhood 5) I ate GATOR for the first time. Probably for the last time, too.

Josh and I are now doing good. We are enjoying living near beaches, and playing in the sunshine. Additionally, my health has markedly improved, since leaving San Antonio.
The dogs are thrilled about having a yard to run around in, and are enjoying frequent outings to the local dog parks and dog beaches.

To celebrate Josh being out of the military, we bleached his hair blonde...or shall we say strawberry blonde. Turned out pretty crazy. His hair is back to black now, but I'll post a blonde pic for entertainment purposes.

OK- that's enough for now. Enjoy the pics.