For Your Amusement

This is a saddleback caterpillar we found along the Appalachian Trail. I had never seen one before. It looks like it's wearing a crossing guard vest! Reminds me of one of the Farside cartoons where God is creating in his lab: paint is everywhere and he's making lots of messes, but obviously enjoying himself. This is another one of those things that proves God has a wonderful sense of humor ... like the duckbill platypus.

Post-Vacation Blues

I guess it had to happen. We had to come back home from vacation, but I came, kicking and screaming all the way.

We spent a week in Cape May, a place a really love. Just hubby and I, my oldest (and pregnant) daughter, and our dogs. I wanted a week with my daughter alone before she becomes a mommy. She lives four hours from me, so spending time with her is difficult, especially "alone" time.

Everyone had a great time, especially the dogs! They ran on the beach, chased the birds, swam in the ocean, had a few meaty bones, got about a bazillion walks every day and just generally hung with their peeps. What more could they ask for? That's my Callie there to the left, tired out from a hard day of being a dog.

Hubby relaxed, which he needed. DD talked endlessly about the coming baby, naturally. Me? I fought with my scalp, as usual, and tried not to eat food that might trigger it's upheaval. And as a stroke of divine providence, it was Hitchcock week on AMC. Delicious movies all week. The house we rented was wonderful and the weather was great! It's been hard to come back to the real world and jump back in.

I visited a Catholic church for mass on Sunday. I do love attending mass occasionally. There's something very comforting about it, plus you get to sit! Sure is easier than EO's Divine Liturgy on the old bod. The service was extremely packed; people lined the sides of the sanctuary and actually spilled out onto the steps. And this was the third mass of the morning! Made me wonder what it would be like on a Sunday morning during the height of the season.

We browsed the shops, which are really nice in the Washington Mall. It's not an enclosed mall, but more of a village. Several of the streets are closed to vehicles, so it is really pleasant to just stroll through. I bought my first baby gift, a little pink hoodie embroidered with, "Somebody loves me and bought me this at Cape May, NJ." It's so cute! I'm sure I'll be buying more baby things in the not too distant future. Yay!

Youngest daughter and hubby are in Hawaii for a two week vacation. They are mostly camping around the islands and have found it as beautiful as everyone says. Unfortunately, they either picked up a virus or got food poisoning and spent a 24 hour period being violently sick ... while camping! I can't imagine. That type of sickness is bad enough when you are ten feet away from your own bathroom, but a public camping area? They're tough and seasoned campers, though; came through it much better than I would!

Here's a beautiful sunset pic taken at Sunset Beach.

Photoshop Phun