Gimme Some Fin

Snow Flake

      It's 7:10am - despite what my timestamp may say, I haven't figured out how to fix that yet - and it's 32 degrees outside. It's supposed to be southern Florida.

        And I have a cough/cold again. I've been feeling it coming on for a couple days now but I felt like I had the upper hand and it was just going to blow by... but no, not so much. My chest/neck/throat is dry and scratchy. I'm a bit congested with some post-nasal drip which is making my throat a bit sore. It's joyous, let me tell you. I woke up this morning when my grandparents were getting ready to leave for work as I do every morning [Thank you Mom for your light sleeping gene]; and instantly felt the irritation in my chest and also in my bladder, so I got up, said 'good morning' to my Nana as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door, relieved myself and then went into the kitchen to make some hot tea.

        The Saturday before Christmas, which was actually Christmas Eve, my mother, sister, brother and I went to the Green Market in West Palm Beach, nice and early in the AM. Personally, I only bought some tomatoes, cucumbers, and a pineapple... I also came home with the orange chocolate marmalade and raspberry apple jelly I referred to in a previous post, and a couple homemade teas as well, but my brother Robbie bought those for me and Rene as our 'Christmas gifts'. One of the teas is called Samurai, which I haven't tried yet, and the other, when we picked it out, wasn't called "Snow Flake" but that's what the lady wrote on the bag when we purchased it. The label said "Orchid, Vanilla, Coconut.." something or other. Regardless of what it's called or what's in it, I'm on my second cup of it and it's delicious. I'm not sure if it's caffeinated, but it very well could be because I'm pretty awake for it being this early. But that could be attributed to the temperature too.
       I turned the heat on while my tea brewed on the stove, made a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, let Toto outside in the freezing cold, then headed back to bed. On the way, I turned my Chinese water dragon's lights on hours earlier than I usually do because it's so damn cold in here!! I put on my knee-high knit socks and my toasty, grey and white Kcuf10v3 hoodie [with the new Distressed design!], then curled up in my blankets. I think I'll just stay here all day, who needs to go to work anyway...??

<3 L. Trev

Rainy Day

It's just one of those days... you wrap yourself in a cozy hoodie, grab your car keys, and go for a drive, slower than you normally would cruise. The windshield wipers and the music turned up. Cold fingers on the steering wheel, eyes on the taillights in front of you. And you're not where you physically are anymore. You're years back, in another state, in a different vehicle, driving in the rain, thinking about what the future is going to bring. Then you're zooming through time, making meaningful connections between the events in your life, wondering how you got through all of it, and so fast. How did we ever get to this age? What happened to the last 10 years? How did I lose that and why didn't I say that... What am I doing right now and how do I want the next 10 years to be? So happy I chose to do that and that, and get rid of him, and avoid her, and tell him how I felt... so happy for him and her, and her and him, and for me. Just happy to be alive and to have my sight and my hearing and my memories. My family. My friends. My music. My art. My job. My sanity.    

*sigh* It's just one of those rainy, nostalgic days. :]

Orange Chocolate Marmalade and Raspberry Apple Jelly

...... on top of Neapolitan ice cream. Yeaaaaa buddy!!!!  

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!! **Here's to 2012 being the BEST YEAR YET!!**

    New Year's EVE started out just like every other Saturday starts for me: I was awoken at 9:30am by the song, "Dogs Days are Over" by Florence and the Machine, I showered and got ready for work, then drove thru at BK for an iced vanilla coffee and some chicken tenders because I didn't give myself time to eat at home. This morning, I parked and walked to the Dollar Tree to buy lotion (forgot to put lotion on my elbows before leaving the house too - Must. Have. Lotion.) and a Thank You card; then walked back over to Smokey Bones and opened the restaurant.

   The card I bought was for Laurie Hughes, my Saturday morning regular who is always the first person to walk through the door. She grabs a silverware roll-up and seats herself without a menu because she always gets a diet coke - no ice, and a pulled pork sammy with sweet potato fries. And she likes her fries not too well done. We both know they will come back to the kitchen if they are too dark. :) Laurie is a single, nighttime nurse and she comes in when she gets off work with her interior design magazine and she eats her usual sandwich in her usual spot (table 18, sitting against the wall). She's the sweetest, most kind and humble customer I've ever had. Her hair is naturally platnium blonde and reminds me of my friend Kelsey Hayden's hair. She had braces removed a few months ago and her teeth are brilliantly white and straight. She lived in Maryland for a long time and still has family there so we talk about 'home' a lot. Anyway, now that you have met Laurie lol... I bought her a card to tell her how much I appreciate her being there every Saturday morning. Not to mention her $7.72 tip on her always $12.28 check. Every time. I started her on the Bones Club Card and she's only got a couple more weeks until she hits her 200 point mark and its been really cool to have formed a friendship with her along the way.

     She blushed slightly when I told her I had something for her and then opened the card right when I gave it to her. After reading it, she stood up and gave me a hug. She said it meant so much to her that I would go out of my way to get her a card. I explained to her that my appreciation is completely reflected at her for the part she plays in my life each week. She starts my Saturdays off with a warm smile AND a great tip. A card was the least I could do. :)

   I worked a double, only going home for about 15-20 mins to clean up my bedroom floor so my cousin Barbara could vacuum it. Being New Year's Eve, it was naturally DEAD once the sun went down and I was cut at 7ish. I was done and out at 8:30 and walked with $150 ($95 in the AM/$55 PM). After going home to shower and dress, I met up with my boy-toy and hit up the liquor store for a bottle of champagne for the midnight toast.

   We then went to his/our friend Jason's house for the party. Their group of friends/family is very nice. I always feel really comfortable around his circle. I've hung out with a lot of them previous to last night so it was cool.

  I did miss MY old, good friends back home, seeing them interact and talk about memories from their childhoods. But I believe it's good that this year started differently than any other year has yet. 2012, one day in, is already 1000X better than the first 5 months of 2011 were... for me at least!! If this year started like any of the others, how can I expect this year to be any different from the last? My resolution this year is to live everyday to the fullest, always keeping a goal in mind and working hard towards it, and to make this the best year of my life so far. So many things changed in 2011 and I'm excited to see what direction I'm headed in now.

   Here are some cute pictures I got of everyone's midnight kiss... except for mine.  >_<  My midnight kiss picture was blurry, we looked silly and I think I looked like a fatty soooo here are all the others. lol

Well, the holidays were a lot of fun and full of decoration, food and family but I'm glad they are over with and the New Year is here. It's time for me to get back into #grindmode - hit up the the dojo as much as possible and drop these last few pounds, get through my last semester at FAU, find myself a job in the field, and have a blast doing it!! Thanks for taking the time to read <3 <3

<3 L. Trev

Wide Awake at 5am

Whyyyyy???? I even took a natural sleep aid. [Melatonin and Chamomile]  Ugggghhhhh!!!!

Toto's Late Night Stroll

The Everglades

There's a place out west that I always drive out to when I need some time away from the craziness of this city. There are only a handful of people that I've brought out there with me and it always astonishes me that these few friends had never been there before I brought them. How can you live so close to the Everglades and never go out and soak it all in? Anyway, to finish that tangent, I'm glad no one really goes out there because it wouldn't be the same.
During the day, the drive out west on this one lane road is bright, with sawgrass and palmetto plants blowing in the breeze, turtles and iguanas basking on canal banks, herons and ibis' flying and fishing....
At dusk, the sun sets right in front of you and the sky runs through every shade of red, pink, yellow and orange until the sun appears to have sunken into the Everglades themselves....
At night, when the sky is clear, the stars are breathtaking. No where else in Florida, except for when we go up to our family property in Ft. White (B.F.E.), have I ever been able to see so many stars so vividly....

My brother and I have been out there many times: once after the Renaissance festival to watch the alligators come to life and the sun set. Another time to use his new camera and get some great shots of the wildlife. We drove out there on the 4th of July and watched over a dozen firework shows going on throughout the city.
I drove out there today because I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the activity in my mind lately. Could be hormonal....... hormones definitely play into my feelings today lol But I'm thankful for this get-away I have, it's the only place that's local, but at the same time, AWAY from everything and everyone.

LIFE has been a little overwhelming lately. But in hindsight at the end of the day, it's all good. :)
Plus I've got this little guy to come home to every night <3 <3