Heavy wind and rains a coming. Desk lamp flickering with each letter I pound. Radio muffled by the floor between us...you get the picture.

Far from here, or maybe not, the world rages with noise and confusion. Confusion swims in a bottle of tequila in the cabinet above the fridge.

It's pointless to go on typing this way.

Jack is driving me crazy with his demands for attention as I tend to this message. I took a small rock from his mouth. Now he's acting like it's a tremendous injustice for me to have done such a thing. We really struggle some times.

This ultrasound photo was taken yesterday. It's my first view of "baby". I saw two arms, five fingers (didn't get to see much of "baby's" other side), two legs, a spine, a heart beat, a nose, eye sockets and a significant degree of stubborness. Jumping jacks, toe touches, dancing and all other forms of movement could not seem to get this child to move for some additional angles.

Speaking of move, this was a very moving experience for me. This first sighting brought some of the reality of what's going on to mind. We are so excited!

Jack has given up on his efforts to get the little rock back. I can be stubborn too. He's sleeping at my feet. I'll make up for his frustrations with a trip to Ross Park this morning. Uh oh! he looked up at me when I typed the word "park". I guess I've let the cat out of the bag.

Earthquake!!

We suffered an earthquake about 130AM last night. I woke up, well kind of, and felt the rolling of the bed and then listened to the house shake like it had been broadsided by a big bear or something.

There were aftershocks while I was riding to work. I didn't feel any of them but now think I know why I fell off my bike three times on the way in.

Despite the drama we are alright. The only real damage being a drained watch battery, cracks on our backsides and a bunch of dirty dishes in the sink...but, as I said, we are alright.

Jack was up and barking for the aftershocks. So were the other dogs in the neighborhood. I felt the urge to bark myself but I was too busy getting myself picked up off the road. Crazy times indeed.

Fishing

Today...an eight hour trip way out there. The fish simply weren't biting. I'm guessing it's either something they just don't do on Sundays or we just didn't serve up the right buffet. One among the six of us unfortunately bowed at the tail of the boat and offered his morning breakfast (and likely anything left from several meals before that)as bait. It didn't work. I also gave up my breakfast (taco seasoning seasoned ground beef, cheese and a flour tortilla) as bait as well but it didn't work either.
I walked away from the deal with a heap of photos of the islands, water and anything other than that that appeared to be of interest at the time.
It has rained very brieflyl and lightly on several occasions during our stay but today we had our first significiant cloud burst. It all happened around 1500 this afternoon. I half expected Noah's ark to be the last thing to fall from the sky as it seemed the storm of biblical proportions might have been just that times two...two of every thing that ever ascended to the sky anyway.
On this trip I've filled in many of the holes created by my overburdened memory about just what happened to the Donner party. Revisiting the story was just as horrific as I remember it being the last time I gave it a thought.

Wednesday

It's Wednesday morning. I can hear a spotted dove in the near distance. The winds which, at times over the past several days, have pushed the window curtains to a near perpendicular position are relatively calm. The tide is out so the rocky shore is exposed. A couple of days ago this is where we spotted a tiger moray eel in less than a foot of water.

We've spent a lot of time snorkeling off nearby beaches. We even took a tour of some of the best snorkeling spots in the area. The coral reef stands out in my mind as the high point so far. I can hardly believe how beautiful the fish have been.

The sun has yet to make an appearance but it won't be long. Our noisey next door neighbors just left for their day's adventure - their departure accentuated by a loud slam of their door. Those still sawing logs at 0545 surely have a range of things they'd probably like to say right now.

I can't figure out why after all the years of schooling I've had, that I was not aware that Captain James Kirk...I mean Cook!..was murdered here in a dispute over a stolen row boat.

Bulbs

Every day several of a multitude of bulbs find their way to blue sky. We planted so many so late in January that we weren't really sure we'd see any of them come around. So far this year's weather has been relatively moderate and wet...apparently favorable enough conditions to grow a seed in a slab of concrete.

Venus

Venus is shining like a big wally in the morning southeastern sky these days. Take a look at it for yourself...you'll see.

We painted the Morrison Room burnt sienna. It looks great. The likeness of "Morrison" will be framed by some nice floor molding likely painted black or something.

I'm expecting a heavy frost this morning, just like yesterday. All of the bulb plants better be able to handle it. Flowers, though I'm not a sissy, are important to me. There should be lots of color out there starting in the next few weeks. The ornamental cherry trees are already blooming and there are a few others out there that'll soon officially come out of their winter blahs.

Last month's heavy (and I do mean heavy) rains overtaxed our driveway drain. Water was on the verge of coming in the house via the garage door. It's likely that a root is blocking the underground drain pipe that leads to the road on the south end. I, unless you want to, will be digging for gold this spring.

Not much else to report. Gonna make it to the dog park this morning. Jack has got to run so the ball is gonna fly.