So much work to do...

Spackel nightmare! It is taking days to finish this project!

Cedar Waxwing. This poor bird flew into my windows and was stunned for quite some time. He eventually flew off. Beautiful bird.

Cooking lobsters on the open grill. Add wine, salad, and bread....mmmmmm!

Our delicious Saturday night lobster dinner, prepared at home.

Viewing photos...

Please Note:

If you would like to see the photos larger, click on each one.

Fire Island, the town of Davis Park. Empty of people in this photo since it is mid-week and the summer rentals have not yet arrived.The beach is beautiful but the sand erosion is becoming a major problem.

Davis Park: The sand dunes are eroded more each year from winter storms.

The "mainland" of Long Island as seen from Fire Island, the barrier beach.

Davis Park walkway on Fire Island. There are no roads but utility and emergency cars ride on the sandy streets.

Check out that Bathroom! It needs redecorating, doesn't it? (I started to pull off the wallpaper above the sink.) The floor tile is original to the house, built in 1964. The vanity and new shower were put in a few years ago. Boy, that wallpaper got out of style quickly!

"Before" Picture..work has started!

"Before" picture of the bathroom. I just started take down the pictures and to remove the wallpaper above the sink and one wall. The project has begun!

The bathroom project...

Last week, we decided to take down the wallpaper in the upstairs bathroom.

The humidity from the one-hour showers, ( taken by my son when he was home from college), had the wallpaper peeling in certain areas. Ugh!

So, how difficult could this be? I've done it before, years ago in my past life (..translation, first marriage). I know it takes time but it's not impossible. And I'm retired, so I have time, right?

It is now one week later and we still have more spackling and sanding to do.

It took 3 days just to get the paper, paste and gunk off the walls.

(Well, we don't work all day but a good part of it. We do find time to do some boating.)

Then we had to spackle the holes and gouges we made from the scraping.

Well, spackling is a skill. We spackled and then respackled. It still looks horrible.

Sanding was a nightmare! The dust was everywhere!

Then clean-up and more clean-up.

We are finally ready to paint the ceiling and put the primer coat of paint on the walls.

I'll keep you posted.

We are thinking of doing a sponge-painting effect to hide the poor spackle job!

Pressure...

I'm not a writer. Now that I have this blog, I feel pressure to write something. And oh...so many people out there have great blogs. Is there any pressure?

There are so many topic possibilities I get writers block and don't know where to start.

Should I write about Long Island, the things I do, or my personal life?

I'd love to write about people I know but then they might get embarrassed or angry if I include negative comments. So how really personal can I get?

I think I enjoy reading blogs more than writing. This is an attempt to break my procrastination.

Storm clouds coming from the east.

Storm is on its way over Long Island, May 23, 2005. This is the Great South Bay and the jetty at Brown's Creek (still in the sun). Most of the day was partly cloudy with mild winds.

Reading Blogs....Thank You, World!

I just spent the last 2 hours reading blogs. (My husband is watching the Met-Yankee game on TV.) I just click "next blog" again and again.

I am so amazed at the creativity I see. It seems that so many people are very creative. People are also spiritual, religious and they are concerned about politics.

Where did everyone learn about creating web sites? I think I'm computer savvy because I can change a few html codes and add lines to the template. Friends ask me for help with their computers too.

But I realize, in relation to what I see, that I know very little.

I care about the condition of the human soul and God's power and world politics, but it is not so easy for me to put my ideas down in a creative way. Not the way I see other people can do it.

I am in awe at what I read and see and I love it.

Thank you!

Alida's Best Bites: The Cull House, Sayville

One of our favorite neighborhood places to eat is The Cull House.

It is a casual place for seafood and the food is excellent.

You must order one of the specials. The restaurant is in Sayville, near the ferries to Fire Island. The atmosphere is casual and the service is usually excellent.

Tonight I had the Halibut with an Asian flavor, noodles, mushrooms, and vegetables. Delicious and cooked perfectly!

My husband had a special seafood type stew. It included spiny lobster, clams, mussels, crab, and grouper. Also excellent, although he thought the grouper was slightly overcooked.

I have the web site for The Cull House in my favorites. Check it out!

Sunset, May 18th. Not much different from last night, still beautiful!

This is what it is like to be fishing at sunset on the Great South Bay.

Sunset on the bay, today, May 17th.

The water tower at Ocean Beach on Fire Island...great place for fishing. We went fishing for Weak Fish on the Great South Bay, but the "big one" got away and we came home without fish. We did watch the sunset and I took pictures, of course!

Fishing boat at sunset, Great South Bay, May 17, 2005

Fly-fishing Update......I did it!

What a great lesson!
I spent the last 5 hours learning to fly-fish. Our instructor, Warren Ray, explained the equipment, flies, and the casting techniques. We practiced in the parking lot for about half-hour, casting and the false cast. Then it was off to the pond in Connetquot State Park. This pond is for learning and all fish must be released, unharmed.
The Parkwood Outfitters, 631-563-1323, lent us all the necessary equipment including chest-high waders. We each caught about 5 to 8 trout, the largest of them, 6 or 7 pounds!
I was very, very happy with the lesson. I feel that I learned a great deal. I am now on my way to begin, what is for me, a new way of fishing.
Now I have to buy the equipment and practice, practice, practice!

Fly-fishing...

Today, my husband and I are taking fly-fishing lessons. There is a fly-fishing store in Bohemia, next to the Connetquot River, that arranges lessons:

Parkwood Outfitters

They do not have a web address but their phone number is

631-563-1323

The shop is set up very nicely, is well stocked and organized.

I will post my experience after the lesson....to be continued.

The shower of presents....

Bridal Showers….Why?

What is the purpose of the shower?

Why do most woman dislike going to Bridal Showers? I have to go to one on Sunday and I don’t want to go. My feelings have nothing to do with the Bride or the Groom. I like both people and wish them the best. And, it will be a classy event at one of the better restaurants. So, why would I rather not go? I think the purpose is no longer there.

When I was married in 1971, I was beginning a new life. I had been living with my parents up to that point and had nothing of my own. I just finished college, just started working, but was making very little money. I could not live with my fiancé before that; my parents would not allow it! Unless you are my age, you wouldn’t understand that….

I needed everything: sheets, towels, dishes, a toaster…It was the same for all my friends too.

Brides today, on Long Island, in general, are older and more established. They have been living on their own or with their boyfriends/fiancés. They have sheets, towels, microwaves and in many cases, even a cappuccino machine! They and/or their parents have already bought them everything they need and most of what they want. What do they need now other than the good wishes of friends?

The Bridal Registry: The happy couples, here on Long Island, go to the major stores and pick out what they want. They register at stores like Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Williams and Sonoma. They make their wish list, things to replace the items they have been using for the last few years. It’s not things they need but things they want to replace. The shower seems so unnecessary!

Even buying the gift now is so removed from the event. As a guest, you can order the gift on the Internet and have it gift wrapped and shipped right to the registered address, selected by the happy couple. Why even go to the shower?

And please, I hope no one brings one of those pranks, sexual jokes: a rubberized penis! After living with a few of the boyfriends, the bride will have to pretend to be shocked for the benefit of Grandma! It seems so silly.

I will go to the shower and wish the bride happiness because that’s what we do for friends!

Alida’s Best Bites: Maureen’s Kitchen, Nesconset

This is the first of my restaurant reviews. I thought that living on Long Island and near New York City gives me the opportunity to share a wide array of dining experiences.

Today was the day to have my oil changed in my car. I knew we would be in the Nesconset area, so my thoughts immediately went to the best place to eat for lunch:

Maureen’s Kitchen.

This restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch but it has the greatest food and best service.

It is not a diner and closes by 3:00 pm.
The décor is all cows: black and white cow designs, cow photos, lights, mugs, and anything that comes a cow motif including a Harley Davidson enclosed in a glass case.

The menu has special pancakes and breakfast items but the lunches are spectacular. Sandwiches are very fresh, tomatoes are ripe red, lettuce is crisp and green and there are always specials.

Today I had the lobster roll, large chunks of lobster with fresh tomatoes, delicious cole slaw, and homemade potato salad.

If you are going for lunch, go early or you will have to wait on line. This is always a sign of great food!

And, "no" I am not getting paid for this and I'm not part of their family! I just want to share my experiences.

For more info or another review: Click here!

Sailing...

Last night we were invited to go sailing, to watch the sunset. Now who would pass up an invitation like that? The air was cool and the skies were not exactly clear, but we just couldn't say no. When you enjoy being on the water, the weather does not have to be perfect.

Our friend Dave has a 30' Newport. Great boat, very sea-worthy. He is a very competent captain, too. I always feel very safe on his sailboat. I've known Dave for over 15 years. Worked with him and traveled, too.

Of course, we brought along our favorite bottle of wine, Kendell Jackson Chardonnay. For two hours we sailed and watched the sun set behind some clouds, laughing and talking and telling him about our recent trip to Honduras. In January, Dave came with us to Bonaire to dive, but he couldn't make this trip.

Dave is such a terrific sailor that he rarely turns on the engine, even to bring the boat back to dock. He sails ever so slowly back down the river, until he gets right to his slip. He turns the engine on and backs in. Beautiful!

I've been on the Great South Bay for the last three evenings. Not a bad life. But then I'm retired now and don't have to worry about getting lesson plans prepared or waking up early. Good life...

So quiet, so beautiful...

Hermit crab, great photo when taken with corrected white balance.

French Angel fish, close and watching us.

Making soup...

I wanted to make soup today. I have a favorite chicken soup recipe that was my mother's. She died last May....that's another story. I didn't want to make chicken soup, but vegetable, something hardy and comforting. Have you ever gone to the food tv web site? It is a great place to find recipes. I usually search for something specific and get 7 or 8 great recipes. I then take the best from each.....today I'm making minestrone with carrots, celery, spinach and beans. Smells good already!

Avenue Q, the play...

On Saturday, we saw Avenue Q in NY City. Very funny play but certainly not for everyone. Some of the songs were about "everyone is a little racist," "being gay, it's okay" and the "internet is for porn." Although I laughed through the entire show and so did most of the audience, I could see how some people would be offended. This play won a Tony Award a few years ago. It was very creative; the actors were terriffic. I grew up in Brooklyn and lived in the New York area my entire life so ...well I just enjoyed it. I just know that there is a whole population of people out there who would not think this was funny. I'm glad they weren't there.

fishing...

My husband and I went fishing on the Great South Bay last evening. The weather was beautiful, sunset spectacular! No fish. There were about 25 boats that I could see at the Ocean Beach area. It didn't look like anyone was catching, but it's difficult to tell. Fisherman don't ususally make a fuss when they catch anything for fear that other boats will come too close and ruin their chances. We have a 21' Parker for fishing, with canvas T-top. Great boat for what we do. The great thing about fishing for recreation is that it doesn't matter if we catch fish. I love being out on the water, especially at sunset. Hot tea from a thermos and the smell of fresh air...watching the sun go down. It just feels good.

This is a fish...really! A Spotted Scorpionfish. Taken with a Cannon camera in an underwater housing. We learned a great deal about white balance and photography on this trip.

Our friendly moray eel...up close.
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I'm still experimenting with Hello and Blogger. I'm finding it somewhat time consuming and the weather is beautiful. I'd rather be outside. My husband and I returned from a recent trip to Roatan, Honduras. We scuba dive. It was a wonderful vacation. We hooked up with people we met last year at the same place...lots of fun and laughs.
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How does he do that? Posing underwater in Roatan. Smile!
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