Saturday, May 06, 2006

Return of the Prodigal Blogger

WE'RE BACK! We woke up this morning having dreamt all night about being back in our own bed, packed our bags, and returned to our lives here at Pendragon Hold. After feeding the goats, unpacking our gear, emptying the overflowing mailbox, making a food run, and enjoying a nice, luxurious hot bath, we put on a Netflix movie, "The Aristocrats", which we are trying to survive right now as I write this post. Ever try to experience horror and laughter all at the same time? Watch this movie.
The trip? OH, the TRIP! Of course.......let me post some pics here and try to provide a rational explanation for them........



This is our Son-in-law, Steven, wearing a understated yellow boa. Notice how it accentuates his broad chest and yellow all-terrain undercarriage. A "must-wear" accessory for the season!













Next we have Steven's hot, sexy wife, Heather, with her favorite toy, a python. No batteries needed, just an occasional rat. No Father-in-laws were injured in the filming of this dance, just mildly intimidated.














To give you guys a better appreciation for the incredible size of this snake, I was brought in and placed on the safer end of this rather large eating machine. I assure you I was not peeing my pants.










One thing that amazed me was the awesome bird population around this place. The coolest was this tiny pair of screech owls that made their home in this tree right behind their house. These are the cutest little owls I've ever seen.








Then of course there's the cemetery. A place like this has a thousand stories to tell, you only have to listen. There's the areas roped off with chain where the Jewish people were planted, segregated by choice or not I'm not sure. Then there's rich mosoleums versus simple little stone plates to segregate the rich dead from the poor. The one great equalizer in this place is that they are all dead, no matter their status otherwise.






But the focal point of this hallowed ground is the gnarled dead pine tree and the huge nest that is home to a pair of bald eagles. Sorry, we couldn't catch them at home for a picture, but I did see them. The nest is incredibly large, and beneath that tree on the ground you can find fish bones and other things blown from the nest on windy days.



Of course, we made our rounds to the local new-age shops, visited the St Petersburg Pier, and discovered to our dismay that the festival we had hoped to attend had already happened the week before.

I know, this trip wasn't exactly Disneyland, but I did warn you guys that it was simply a cheap getaway simply to relax and visit the kids. Sometimes simple decompression is worth alot more than recreation, and is a whole lot cheaper to boot.

As I type up this last paragraph, we've started a new movie, "The Weatherman". with Nicholas Cage. "The Aristocrats" was a little to rich for our tastes and had to be shut down. Not that I myself am not about as profane as they come, but there's a thin line between profane and funny. Plus I simply think it was getting a bit asinine.

The wife gets one more day to rest and then it's back to retail hell. I'll have another week of my own vacation to enjoy, but I will be at the mercy of her "honey-do" list, so it's all relative.

I did manage to keep up with most of your blogs and it was a comfort to be able to see them as I tried to enjoy myself out of my element. Amber, that "Gardeners of Gor" thing was a real hoot! Tim, I actually like your photoshop zeal, and no, I will not be limiting myself to 600 words, although I will endeavor to rob it of any possible relevance as not to accidently win a pulitzer before you do......grin.

6 comments:

Time said...

Loved the trip photos THE Michael. Mickey is going to freak when he sees the snakes. And I could swear I could see some orbs in those cemetary shots. If you send them to me I could bring them out a bit :) Enjoy sleeping in the water bed again.

Ninety9 Miracles said...

Those were great pictures, but the 'understated yellow boa' IS actually also a python...and the big python doesn't run on rats OR batteries, but BUNNIES...sorry.
The Good Twin

morningstar said...

IF your intention was to scare the hell out of me with your snake population pics.. trust me You succeeded.... have i ever told You how much i HATE snakes!!!! and Your daughter lives with THEM???? tell me it ain't so The Michael...

(noting good twin's comment.... BUNNIES???!!!! lil bunnies???? ohhhhhh my god)

glad you are home safe and sound and that You had a good time away...

morningstar

Alex Pendragon said...

Sorry, Tim, but I used my orb filter when taking those pics.....

Daughter, you have just increased the cringe factor of this post dramatically.....hehe

littleone, I was there when the bunny was brutally murdered (in a "humane" fashion, I must add) in order to power this monster. But hey, when you imagine how said bunny would have been bloodily ripped apart by, say, a wolf, then the python method is almost sublime in it's clean simplicity. I have to admit that I admire the care that she took in putting the "food" to sleep before letting the snakes have their way.

Anonymous said...

I've been checking to see if there is anything posted. The day I didn't I see that you did. Very nice pictures. Did you know that according to Chinese snake is actually a very wise liked creature. Being borned in that sign had to add this little bit of tidbit. Listening to Sad Lisa by Cat Stevens, amazing!

I think I am too emotional for all of my life partners so far(just 3, two married). Sad.

Also, have to add I am very impressed with your writing ability. Please continue and maybe compile these in a book?

Lisa

Anonymous said...

OK...I've checked out the "snake" connection as requested by Tim. The only thing I can come up with is that we are traveling in packs from lifetime to lifetime...and that just freaks me out!

Awesome snake pics by the way.

(Don't mind me. Tim knows all about my non-medicated state.)