Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Chico, you fucker.

This place, where the in-laws are staying? There's a ledge on the top of the cabinetry in the kitchen, and Chico, my mother-in-law's cat, has figured out how to get up there.

He likes to lay there, and watch the hoomins go by.

It'll give you a hell of a start, though, to look up and see the little booger hanging there like a vulture, looking at you.

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Sunday I drove down here, of course, and I snapped a few photos as I drove.

Trish, do you remember this lovely pit? That's supposed to be the sign for Waffle House, off I-95, but I was driving and didn't want to run into someone while concentrating on the photo. I sort of hung the camera out the window, hoped, and pushed the button.

Then we got on the highway itself, and it looked like this:

For four hours. (It's an hour to I-95 the way we drive it, so all in all, a five hour trip with nothing but trees, except for the short bip through Jacksonville.)



These are our current digs, or at least this is the area of the current digs. It's a nice, gated community, all over-designed and self-contained. Some say they're a blight on the landscape. Some say they're a wonderful alternative to down-at-the-heels little beach communities. I see both sides of the argument, and while I think these are nice places, and certainly well maintained, I've also got a sentimental fondness for shabby little beach shacks. Either way, it's nice here, and the in-laws are happy here, and really, that's what matters.

For now, I leave you with sunrise photos, taken this morning at the unholy hour of six-thirty AM. The Goob's excited as all hell and has been getting me up at five-thirty every day.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great sunrise pics. It makes me wish I was there.

Pam

Donna Lee said...

Gorgeous. Glad you and the Goober made it in two pieces. My cats like to sit up high, too. I think it's because they spend so much time so close to the ground....

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you made it safe! I think sunrise at the beach with the Goober sounds lovely (just not something I'd want to do EVERY day!) I've always said that I love to be awake and about at all times of day (I get a lot done in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep, and sunrises are so beautiful), and I love to be asleep - it's the transitions that I hate, the going to bed and waking up parts. So, if I could stay awake for a week, then sleep (undisturbed) for a week, and alternate, I'd be in heaven.

Amy Lane said...

oooooohhhh....nice pics! and it's good to know that all good houses have a furry whiskered fucker to claw and generally play havoc with the hoooomins therein!

Barbara said...

Ah, excellent view. I could sit sipping tea and knitting looking at that for six months. Then I'd go to the upper balcony and do it again. Glad you and the Goober made it safely. Did you sing in the car? That's what we did to keep sane on long trips. Why, doesn't everyone's preschooler know the words to Jimmy Buffet's "Let's All Get Drunk and Screw"?

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful sunrise. Lucky you. If you figure out how the cat gets all the way on top of the cupboard could you let us know?

Anonymous said...

LOL on the Waffle House. I don't remember it from that direction, since we were going the opposite way! However, I will always cherish the memory of our waffle reunion.

Yay on getting there, eek on the white buzzard-cat, and those sunrises...if one must wake up at 5'o freaking 30, there better be some reward for it.

The next time you go down, rumor has it the Welcome to Fla station right outside of Jax gives free FLA OJ samples. We've always gotten there too late to take part.

Trish

Alwen said...

Looks like Chico has a great perch. The highway looks like driving north in Michigan in the summer, except that the roads have taken a heck of a beating this winter.

I love a good sun over water picture, and just stole a good sunset one myself!

Bells said...

oh fab. Thanks. I think highways are much teh same the world over.

Can you do food? I want to see food!

roxie said...

My mom rasied a litter of bobcat kittens and kept one as a housepet. He loved hanging around on top of things, and was likely to swipe your hat as you walked past the fridge. We even got photos of him hanging out in the antlers of Dad's stuffed elk head

Unknown said...

Love the cat vulture pics.

But the sunrise, gotta love the sunrise. If it were only later in the day.

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie, I just wanted to make contact to say that you had one one of the write-a-caption contest over at 'a simple yarn.' Your prairie dog caption captured our kiddies humor. If you can contact me by email I can get the details of getting your prize to you!

cheryl AT asimpleyarn DOT net