Boo at the Zoo!

Sunday was free day at the Birmingham Zoo so my friend and I took her son and we had a grand ol' time!

These guys need to stir around a little. The landscape is growing over them.

Emerald boas (I think), so pretty.

Scarecrow with camel toe?

Meeces, Mices

Thursday afternoon one of my daycare children yelled, "Come look at this!" So I did. It was a little bitty mouse running across the playroom floor. It looked like a dust bunny sitting in the corner when I finally caught it.

Aren't they cute?

We knew we had mice. We'd been seeing them and it seems to be a regular fall event. They've been kind of bold and noisy in an "I dare you" sort of way. We put out humane traps at first, then glue boards, then finally resorted to the good old fashioned snap traps. Finally we caught two mature mice over the weekend and the cat caught one previously so we thought they were all gone. Wrong.

I saved the baby mouse. It was so cute and we always have extra little critter habitats in a closet for just this sort of thing.

Then another one ran along the baseboard and the kids chased it. I Had to keep that one too. By noon Friday we had six baby mice a tad over an inch long. Apparently we caught mommy and daddy and now the babies had no one feeding them. I fed them chinchilla food (because the bunny food was too big) and put a water bottle in the habitat. The children watched the mice all afternoon.

Saturday they started dying. It was so sad. One by one they rolled over and stiffened up. By Sunday only one remained. looks like they were just too young to make it without the mother.

Now we have to keep the one and take care of it, it's all alone in a big world. I call it Dust Bunny. Welcome to our critter family Dust Bunny.

Our Cancun Vacation Day 4

I so did not want to leave but all good things must come to and end.

We rose a little earlier and set our luggage out for the bell hop and did breakfast as usual, we were not skipping any meals or snacks when they were free. Monday I did skip the coffee and went right on to a Tequila Sunrise. It counts as a serving of fruit, right?

We had an hour and a half until we were to board the buses to the airport so we sat in the lobby bar while I tipped a few Pina Coladas.





Just before boarding time Georgia came over to meet us. She was showing off a gorgeous CZ sterling ring she had just purchase in the shop next door. It was 7 marquis shaped CZs set in a circle to for a star and it was huge! Just $50 she boasted. I sucked down the last half of my Pina Colada (waste not want not) and Tonya and I headed to the shop. Tonya found a ring she wanted and went to call her husband to look at it. While she was gone I asked the salesman if he had any rings in larger sizes. He replied that he could have any ring sized in a short while. I asked, "In ten minutes?" He said no and moved down a case. I moved with him and my eye caught a brillian sunset topaz and CZ ring. He picked up the very ring I was looking at and it fit perfectly. I pulled out my Visa and it was on my finger when Tonya returned alone and a little down in the mouth. She said, "It's too late, they are loading the bus." I told her this was the difference between being married seven years and nineteen. At nineteen one doesn't feel that they need permission from the other to spend money. Afterall, my husband is the one that came home with the $16,000 Harley-Davidson without even mentioning the idea to me.

See it sparkle?

We jumped in line at the buses, claimed our luggage and it was loaded for us. Customs was a breeze this time. I didn't make eye contact with anybody and we flew right through. Of course Mr. D. pulled his new lighter out of his pants and it was confiscated again, duh. It was still stormy this morning, the winds strong enough to sweep children away and the clouds looked ferocious but no flights were being delayed.





Our flight from Cancun to Altant took off ok but soon got pretty rough. The pilot only turned off the seatbelt signs long enough for the flight attendants to throw a mini bottle of water at us an hour into the less than two hour flight and scurry back to their seats. Sometimes it felt like we were free falling. Maybe we were.

Heaven.

We arrived in Atlanta safely, grabbed a bite at Popeyes and were off and running again. Our flight to Huntsville was smooth and lovely. We left Atlanta at 7:30 facing the sunset and arived in Huntsville at 7:20 still facing the splendid setting sun. We waved farewell to our old and aome new friends vowing to see them here at the same time next year.

Our Cancun Vacation Day 3

Sunday we slept a little later, hit the breakfast bar, met up with friends, and spent a little time (and pesos) in the gift shops. This was the day we had planned to waste away with the best strawberry daiquiris I've ever had in my life. It was cloudy as it had been most of the time we were in Mexico (thanks to Tropical Storm Stan) but other than that the weather was mild.

Sexy Mr. D.

The swingin' bar is at the very top center of this picture.

I spotted a buddy of ours at the poolside bar and yelled for him to order a strawberry daiquiri for me. When I saw it on the counter I swam over to retrieve it. By then there was lightning and thunder so we got out of the pools and sat at the bar for a couple of hours. All drinks were free and you could stay as long as you want or as long as you could balance on a swing.

I can't think of a better place to spend a thunderstorm. "Another daiquiri here, por favor!"

When the rains let up we all collected our drenched belongings and headed back to our rooms for dry clothes and a nap. The room was cold so I crept out the patio doors to try out the hammock. It was surprisingly comfortable. I could reach the rail with my foot and give a little kick and I was swinging.

View from the hammock, I never set my camera down.

When I took this picture from my hammock I realized how much it had rained. Water was standing everywhere. I decided to take a walk but many of the sidewalks were covered with 3" to a foot of water.

Looked as if the fountain went loco.

Can't even see the sidewalks.

Angry clouds

I must share this picture with you. It's a lovely moth resting on an outside wall of the hotel. It's wings spanned 6" or better!

The grow 'em big around here.

There was to be a beach party Sunday night but although the rain stopped for a while the wind would have taken the tables away. We met in the Jupiter Ballroom with a live band and a wonderful buffet set up for us. My pictures didn't turn out too well here.



After dinner there was dancing on the dance floor. I don't dance. I can't get that drunk any more without passing out. Around 10:00 we decided to take a little trip to the other side of the resort. we piled in a tour bus sitting under the front canopy for the ten minute ride. Once there we found the karaoke bar where it was our hope to put a microphone in the hands of one of our men so he could sing a song or two that he had written. As we entered and shoved ourselves just in the doorway (it was wall to wall, shoulder to shoulder people) we found that they were on their last song for the evening. We returned on the same bus and Chad sang all the way back with a few back up singers as well.

Back at the party we found that all but a dance floor full had left. We hung around for a few more drinks and retired to our rooms. We had to get the packing done that night so the bell hops could have our luggage at the bus on time the next morning.

Our Cancun Vacation Day 2 (post 2)

We piddled the afternoon away. Starting with one of the poolside restaurants. A quickie storm came up on us so we stayed and visited until it blew over. The guys all went to the lobby bar to watch the Alabama game on the TV there and one of the other ladies and I hung out at the pools for a little while until it was time to dress for this evening's event.

Our ARAMARK men

We posed for pictures outside of the Galactical Ballroom during the cocktail hour. I hope our friends that took pics of us will share a few. I didn't think at the time to hand off my camera and let someone photograph my with hubby. Oh well. These are our lovely friends.

This beautiful woman would absolutely not let me photograph her face!

Sweet couple I met for the first time on this trip and hope to stay in contact with.

The banquet was lovely as usual. Delicious salads, soup, White wine and juicy steaks.







This blue drink, Blue Hawaiian, has become the table joke. If you get up and leave for some reason when you come back there is one sitting at your spot and the rule now is that you have to down it all at once and that's tough because they are kind of thick drinks.

Bottoms up!

There were prizes awarded as there were last year. Plasma TVs, DVD recorders, digital cameras and recorders, All kinds of electronic devices and cash in the amounts of $500, $1000, and $2000 given away. We didn't win anything but two of the guys at our table did. Whoo hoo for them!

After Dinner we all met at the disco. This time I stayed against my better judgement. We did sit way in the back of the room next to the air purifier. It was a lot of fun but the next day I awoke with the usual second hand smoke sore throat and had to throw away my contacts from the night before . . .

Our Cancun Vacation Day 2 (post 1)

Saturday morning we got up and went to breakfast at the same place we snacked at Friday afternoon.

Ooops, Mr. D. will get me if he discovers this!

After breakfast we ran into some of our buddies in the gift shop and decided to take a little trip to the market place. We grabbed a cab and bargained for a good rate. The nine of us got the round trip for $90. Sounds high but in Nassau it cost us $4 per person each way. We did alright.



We spent too much money here. Mr. D. and I both bought sterling rings. Mine was a Mayan symbol band and his a Harley-Davidson insignia. We had to have hubby's sized but it didn't take the guy 30 minutes and that's with having to run back and forth to where ever it was done. $40 for his (it's a big ring to fit a helluva finger), $20 for mine. Hubby was wearing a Harley-Davidson shirt so all the merchants were pulling on him to come see their H-D stuff. One man was even so bold as to say, "Ok, my turn. You have to come see what I've got!" We wound up buying a $160 Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary bracelet from him. I hope we got a decent deal. He was originally asking $280 for it. Later a merchant asked what we paid for the bracelet. When we told him he responded, "Really? You paid $160 for that?" I couldn't tell if he was impressed or laughing at us. Oh well, it's a really sexy bracelet.





Mr. D. picked out an H-D T-shirt. The guy was asking $30 for it. I told him we could get it for $18 at the Harley shop at home. He came down to $22 since it did say Cancun on it. Then it so happened that he didn't have correct change in dollars so he asked could he owe us. I guess the shirt cost us $25 in the end. Wonder how many people that worked on.

I found some really soft brown window toed clogs to wear that night to the awards dinner but my only purse was black. That just wont due so I bought a little handmade pouch from a local lady and her little girl. They said they made them themselves and were asking $5. I gave the lady $5 and the little girl $2. I received a bunch of "gracias".



On the way back to the Hotel hubby had the taxi driver to stop at the liquor store. He just had to have some tequila to carry home. Apparently he's already forgotten what happened to the mango rum we carried home from Nassau. Mango rum spilled all over out pillows in the suitcase. Yuck.

Our Cancun Vacation Day 1 (post 3)

Friday evening we were to meet the entire group of 400 or so at the Moonlight Terrace. On the way there I took some scenery pics.



I saw a little yellow bird in a palm tree. The pretty little thing was just hopping about, limb to limb, pecking at the coconuts.

Click on this picture to make it bigger.
You can find the bird almost exactly in the center of the picture.

We made it to the Terrace at 6:30 for cocktails and the welcoming party. All nine of us from Decatur sat together at the same table. We must not be much for mingling I guess. Well, one of us is but he's another story. I'll not go there. The buffet was delicious and I ate too much of course. I'm not much of a shrimp fan but I found myself eating it by the plateful. Must taste better when someone else has peeled and deveined it. The dessert table was fabulous as well. I had to try out a few new drinks that evening, my first Blue Hawaiian, Blue Lagoon, Tequila Sunrise, and Pina Colada. Tequila Sunrise is my new favorite.




Afterwards most of the gang went to the disco. I went along with Mr. D. but once we got there the smoke was pouring out of the place so I opted to go back to the room where I could breathe. I know, I know, party pooper. At the room I crawled back into the jacuzzi for a little while then did a few crossword puzzles waiting for hubby to return. I passed out first . . .

Our Cancun Vacation Day 1 (post 2)

Moon Palace Sunrise was only three stories high but it was spread out over square miles! It was quite a hike to our room and I was glad I dismissed thoughts of forgetting the bell hop and taking my own luggage to my room. What a walk, poor, poor feet. Room 3673 at last. Hubby walked right through our first floor room and to the patio to smoke. I had to take pictures of the room before we messed it up. I photographed the two lounge jacuzzi facing the glass sliding doors.



When checking this place out on the internet at home I thought how wonderful to soak in the tub and enjoy the scenery outside but that wasn’t going to happen on the ground level!

I really liked the way they folded the bath mats.
When we arrived they were folded into swans, another day they were whales.

I snapped the beds. Rick had requested a king but I guess they ran out and we got two doubles. That suited me. I liked the space.




I had to capture the cute little bar on the wall. It was stocked with tequila, rum, scotch, and brandy. I put the camera down to try out the cute little dispenser. I pushed my glass up and it dosed out exactly a shot. By the time I made sure each was working properly our 60º room suddenly warmed to 90º. Whew. I decided before I left home that I was drinking water the whole trip. I was not going to get drunk and miss anything going on here. That resolution went far.



We needed some eats so I grabbed hubby and we followed our noses to food. We ate at the first restaurant we came to, Bugabilias. It didn’t matter where we ate. All the restaurants served virtually the same thing at breakfast and lunch buffet style. For supper they were al la carte with different menus.

After eating we had three hours until the welcome party on the Moonlight Terrace. We walked around and found where we were to go and then headed back to the room. We were hot. We had just seen the only sunshine we were to see the whole trip and it was burning us up. We tried out the little bar again just to make sure it was still working properly and climbed in the jacuzzi to relax a little while . . .

Our Cancun Vacation Day 1 (post 1)

We left last Friday early in the morning for Cancun, Mexico. Sarah and baby Warren picked us up at the house and took us to Huntsville international Airport. We had just pulled up to the curb when I asked hubby if he remembered to load his garment bag. Back to Decatur we flew at warp speed! We returned to the airport just in time. They've really sped up the baggage check this year. Last year took forever. Now they search your bags after they've been checked. I realized this when we arrived in Cancun without my Lysol Neutra Air freshener. If those masochists in Huntsville had known I was traveling with Mr. D. I know they would have left it in my bag. FYI: This year they no longer allow cigarette lighters onboard, IF they know you have one. If you disclose it they will confiscate, if you leave it in your purse, you get to keep it.

We flew from Huntsville to Atlanta. Why is it we always have to go through Atlanta? Crazy airport. We ran down the moving sidewalk to the escalators. Those are some tall escalators! It was too scary to look down. I was holding the moving rail with a death grip. Then it was to the train and back up the escalators and to the far end of the concourse. My poor feet!

The flight to Cancun was just short of two hours. The plane took us right up to the building and deposited us in the air conditioning. I mention this because last year at the Nassau airport the plane stopped, dumped us out, we had to retrieve our own luggage from the cargo hold, then walk half a mile in the blazing sun to the less than adequately aired building. We were exhausted by the time we finally trudged through customs.

In Cancun it seemed that most everybody spoke enough English for me to understand them, everybody except the customs agents. We were moving quickly and smoothly until we got to this one woman standing next to a floor to ceiling pole with a button that looked like the buttons you push to change the light and cross at a crosswalk in town. She said something to me I couldn't figure out. No hand motion, no nothing. I stood looking at her like a puppy refusing to sit. Then she yelled at me. I felt like a puppy refusing to sit. I gave her the come again look. She pointed to the button repeatedly while yelling and so I figured I was to push the button. And I did. A loud buzzing rang my ears and echoed over the whole airport. The lady started shaking her head and muttering something, I know she was cussing me. Mr. D. was cussing me too. “Why did you press that button?!” -- Everything negative that happens is always my fault in his mind. His forgetting the garment bag was my fault because I carried his other suitcase out to the car. When Sarah and Warren arrived to pick us up Warren was asleep in the car and I didn't want Sarah to have to take him out and I didn't want Warren left in the car. Sarah and I carried what was already at the door and waiting to the car and put it in the trunk, got in the car, and sat and waited for Mr. D. who had yet to emerge from the bedrooms. When he finally came outside to smoke one before we left, we called to him to come on and hurry up. It was already 5:10am and we had planned to leave at 5:00am. He locked the door and got in the car assuming I had everything. That's the only reason he takes me anywhere, to read instructions and make sure we have everything we need. Ugh, that man. Anyway, back to the story. -- I know he couldn’t understand her any better than I did. Our bags were immediately seized and opened to display contents. They rummaged through all our bags right there for the whole world to see. I so hoped they wouldn’t discover my brand new purple pulsating vibe. I sure didn’t want to have to explain how it was no threat to their country’s security.

We made it outside the airport and before we could stop to wonder what to do next, dozens of Welcome ARAMARK signs were waved all around pointing us to luggage drop offs and offering refreshment. What a lovely place. I dropped my bags and headed for the bus but Mr. D. had to stop and smoke. To hell with him. I was already tired of smoke breaks causing us to lag behind our friends. On I went and boarded the first bus. It was nearly full so I saved a seat for hubby. A minute later the bus driver was on the microphone informing us of our destination and where we were to go and what we were to do upon arrival. Then we were off.

Mr. D. did not make it. In fact, none of the Decatur crew made that bus. Just as well. I needed a little space anyway. I met and nice couple from South Carolina (or was it North?) And shared pleasant conversation with them. I read most of the signs and billboards along the way. They were low to the ground and almost as big as our interstate billboards but they were supported on each side by pillars, very pretty. As we passed one with a familiar logo on it, I heard someone shout, “Detour to the Super Walmart!” Everybody laughed but I actually thought it might be fun to check out a Mexican Super Walmart to see what they carried. Later we heard that was the cheapest place to buy Tequila. Tequila at Walmart? No way! Along the way I saw a bright green parrot perched on a post. Not many of them in Alabama. I wondered what other kind of wildlife we may encounter on this trip.

At last we made it to our hotel. It was lovely! I ran in and made my way up the escalators to the ARAMARK private check in and chose a line. As I neared the counter I realized that they were checking ID of both parties and lagged behind waiting on hubby. I reached the head of the line once again but hubby’s bus had yet to arrive. FInally the bus arrived and Mr. D. Was the last one up the escalllator. Presumably he had to stop and smoke. can you tell this is a pet peave? We stood in line together for two whole minutes before he started complaining about the slow moving line. I had been in this line twenty minutes and could have been out of there fifteen minutes ago if he could have kept up. Mr. D. went for a beer. While he was gone our hosts decided it would be quicker to take everybody’s ID and make the necessary copies before they reached the counter. When they got to me I looked around and hubby was nowhere to be seen, of course. I had to move back in the line AGAIN because they needed his driver's license. When hubby returned he had the nerve to fuss at me for losing our place in line. I needed to smack him. Eventually we did get checked in and as I started heading out the front door to inform the bell hop of our room number and point to our luggage, hubby had to go for another beer. I didn’t wait. He needed a cigarette, I didn’t wait. He was just lucky to find me when I returned with directions to our room . . .