Week Thirty-One: The Things She Carried

...and that, Best Beloved, is how the Leopard got its spots. Oh, hello there! Welcome back to the blog. We have a lovely installment for you this week. Full of dreams and imagination and memories and strange things. Alright, truth be told, this week is all about those things I find any and every time I decide to initiate a Great Purge. Doesn't always happen in the spring/summer, but does happen on a fairly regular basis. As I've moved hither and yon, I've accumulated rather a lot of stuff. Some of that stuff is useful and meaningful, but most of it is the byproduct of my tendencies to ferret away frightfully useful things that may or may not be needed or wanted at a later date. These, Dear Readers, are my skeletons. Please don't judge me too harshly...

Day 1 (211): 7th of July
Best thing about this week? Other than the mere four days of work required, the leaving on a jet plane and heading west young man is the highlight. By late evening on Saturday, I'll be safe in the bosom of the ancestral home where things make sense and I can bask in the glow of denial. Makes all other Life silliness bearable in the interim. Also motivates the Purge, as some things will be carried back Stateside for donation or destruction. Turns out I have some rather odd things in the running for Purge. Both impulse buys and strange things with unknown origins. For example, one hideous uncomfortable pair of sun specks (yes I tried them on), and one odd Happy Meal-looking bobble head toy that I know I've had for at least two moves, but I've not the foggiest from whence it came, or really even why it exists at all...

Then of course we have the pile of things that have either not been touched for years or have just far outlived their purpose. Here we have some ancient burgled airplane headphones, the charger from a Nokia I had in college, an underwater film camera (film still in it...), the charger/sync station from my 2006 Dell palm pilot (it was free and has since disappeared), and finally a 2012 planner (with not a single mark in it). Who does this?

Day 2 (212): 8th of July
An unfortunate side effect of digging in drawers is that the hits just keep on coming. One odd discovery begets another and so on. The heap of long expired birth control gave way to three cans of unused film and more odd bits of paper than I care to detail. Furthermore, found a stack of C4ISR magazines from 2011 (gosh I'm nerdy), a v rusty slinky, a random thing of lavender tea (probably stolen from a Hong Kong hotel considering the chinese lettering), gun oil, and not one but two packs of (expired) dollar store C batteries.

My many deployments and travels have resulted in the accumulation of much foreign currency, such as Japanese, Malaysian, Korean, Singaporean, Emirati, etc. Don't even get me started on the amount of Djiboutian Francs I still have. So much Monopoly money. At some point I acquired some odd plastic christmas toys with parachutes. And at the bottom you'll find a beaded bracelet I made a million years ago when having beaded bracelets was just the coolest.

Day 3 (213): 9th of July
As a wanderer of the world, I stay in many hotels, be they on ships, bases, or in normal towns. I also take things from hotels. Like keys (that I forget to shred), and apparently coffee singles, sugar, and pens. Sadly this is but a small portion of the amount I've discovered throughout the Purge.

Good Lord. It just keeps going. Must be a compulsion. Who needs this many notepads?

Day 4 (214): 10th of July
Nope. Nothing exciting in life at the moment (is there ever?) But honestly, what is this? A bag of marble-y things (with a hole in it so they can spill all over the place), and a scary finger puppet.

Good news, readers - I have graduated from places. And apparently needed several hat tassels to do so. Was I wearing three hats upon my high school graduation? And two after University? Good grief.

Day 5 (215): 11th of July
Hello. My name is Rodeo and I am a pack rat. If you give a Rodeo a little container, she will fill it with whatever will fit. For example, what to do with a Jelly Belly tin? Why not fill it with nothing but pennies, a pair of earrings, a marble-y thing, and movie ticked stubs from 2009.

I do tend to buy a lot of notebooks. It is a compulsion. Some of these have nothing in them, and some have loads of chicken scratch and doodles (apparently I have long been a doodler).

Day 6 (216): 12th of July
Ahhhh Business Class... America Bound! No more to say. But the things on the chopper this time are t-shirts. A great stack. Either impulse buys, grab bag buys, or random too-big shirts I'd have happily rocked at the age of 8, when I figured the bigger a shirt was, the better (thanks, '80s). Also some dresses that are either too big, too small (I've been many a size in my life), or too hard to explain (try things on, people!). All are getting their own bag for carriage back home. For photo purposes, my collection of nail polish that I've not used in rather a long time. So many colours.

Quality, no? Clearly I use these all the time...

Golly, Claire's?? Why? And When?

Day 7 (217): 13th of July
Erasers... so many erasers. This must have been a thing when I was just a wee young lass.

Yes. Polaroid. So much Polaroid. This one still has 3 photos left in the film.

Most importantly, I carry my memories. Daw... Gosh we look young.

My skeletons. And this has only been the tip of a large, frightening iceberg. Necessary evils, indeed. 

Week Six: Parts Part Known

Knowing that the tail end of this week, and the first bit of next, will be in another country, I've had to change the theme from light-related stuff to no theme at all whatsoever. This gives me the chance to just shoot from the hip for a few days, though if I'm honest, it'll more likely be from the normal position, or possibly from a tripod. At the end there will be a couple days of "oooh, foreign stuff... and neat places!" So please stick around till the end. Promise there'll be something different.

Day 1 (36): 13th of January
Strange how knowing my Niners won their game yesterday and getting to bed at a semi-reasonable hour makes the effects of my insomnia rather lessened. Not demolished, but the five hours I was sleeping were relatively restful (and all in a row!). Am a fan of making certain a couple of times each week we learn things unrelated to work in the shop. Sometimes it is grammatically based (once explained to my guys the difference between i.e. and e.g.), and other times culturally based (another time was useless film trivia). Learned today about the phrase "Son of a gun." I'd no idea where it came from, but apparently the women of questionable morals were most often found on the gun deck (figures). When an illegitimate child came of such insalubrious behaviour, any questionable paternity was by default attributed to the chief gunner. Gives whole new meaning to the term "gundecking" (usually means to slag off some task or another, or only do it half-assed, but now...well I never!) Took gratuitous outside photos today. They are neat. Outside is pretty.

And gratuitous moon shot... oooh the moon!

Day 2 (37): 14th of January
If ADD were a radio station, it would be most stations in Italy, at least those broadcasting in the Naples area. This morning I was serenaded by Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" followed by some bizarre song about dancing, then by Daft Punk, James Blunt, and Madonna's "Vogue" (all with the typical Italian commentary and occasional singing over the last bars of the song). Is enough to put a gal in a more bizarre mood than usual for a v early Tuesday. Even more bizarre is the fact that I just realised today that in my head, Nicolas Cage and Denzel Washington are basically the same person. I know. I know. Not the same person. Cage is much taller. And a bit funnier. But for some ungodly reason, my previously thought to be flawless mental movie trivia database has been mixing up their films for years. Totally rocked my foundation. I need a moment. And it is raining.

And rather chilly. Needed these. Almost always wear same in winter months, but really needed them today.

Day 3 (38): 15th of January
Someone (I'll not say who) told me today that I'll never be happy till I "get out there" and "find someone." By which I presume was meant "hunt for a man." Who says I'm not happy now? OK, maybe not every waking second, but I'd hardly categorise myself as miserable. What is it that makes some people feel the need to "fix" other people? Leave bloody well enough alone, eh? Too short - cannot be helped; too ginger - not dying my hair; too blonde - which is it?; too nerdy - oh well; too smart - assed?; too stubborn - am not; too 'low maintenance' - still not sure about that one. Some humans - i.e. this one - are just set in their ways and happy to live life as it plays out. Twenties, thirties, forties; alone, attached, dazed or confused... who cares? Let others take all the Life Stress that comes with following The Plan. I don't even tend to plan my w/ends until they are well under way. As for the rest - it'll get sorted as it gets sorted. No need to fuss about it. Have a good laugh and move on. And don't forget to take pictures. Always take pictures - or else who'll believe you were there?

Day 4 (39): 16th of January
Thursdays are odd days. They rarely have the spotlight, except for the much-loved "Thirsty Thursday" tradition that I miss (and many of you out there still enjoy). Not really a feasible pastime here, where no one lives close to one another, and Italian bars are not anything like American ones. Thursdays also have a history of some decent TV programming (looking at you, 1980s/1990s NBC; ignoring you, current US prime time). Beyond that, they are kind of the Jan Brady of weekdays. Easily forgotten and envious of the other days. Got stuck twice before I could leave work today, after spending the vast majority of the day in meetings, trying to not kill someone or drool on myself. Adds to the mleh factor of Thursdays. But for the sake of making a rather repetitive thing a little less uninteresting, I took my life in my own hands and took a number of iPhontos whilst driving at great speed. All for you, Dear Reader. But they are poor pixel quality, and there were many, so I've collaged four, so it is less ugly. Follow them left to right and top down, to take a drive home with me... See the theme that is sneaking into the week? Sky porn of a sort...

Day 5 (40): 17th of January
Leaving for Bucharest tonite. First trip to someplace in Europe that is not Italy or a German airport or the UK. Did go to Malta last year, but that didn't really feel like Europe (don't suppose it really is, as it is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean). Seems most everyone around here has already been, but I just figure that means they'll not be there to crowd the place up. I'd like to keep the riffraff out of the quaint small town (only a couple million). Rather incredibly foggy when we arrived, which apparently happens, but typically there is a mass of snow this time of year. Did some silly photos of my harmonicas before I left for the airport, and then took a photo of my foot in said airport. Tried for some photos of fog, but they were really truly abysmal.

Uh oh, she's going black and white again. Still just your foot, Rodeo...

Day 6 (41): 18th of January
Still frogiferous outside. I imagine it is a lovely city, but will have to wait until our tour guide shows us the sights. Also visiting Transylvania, which has been on the old list of buckets (I just didn't know it until I heard that was the plan). Have always wanted to see where all those poor people got impaled...But turns out that happened somewhere else entirely. Leave it to tourist traps and authors to build one up to a disappointment. However, I had a blast. We blasted through a gobsmacking palace (wish we'd gotten a bit more time, but was still lovely) where the king lived, then feasted on delicious meat goodness whilst overlooking Bran Castle (fake vampire castle). Our tour guide apparently gave Bourdain the same tour (I think B was underwhelmed with the whole experience). Ah well. Got good (and not good) piccies, so you shall not be too disappointed. Still only giving you a couple, as this is not a "what I saw in Romania" blog. First is a chandelier from Bran Castle. Looking v eerie. With a litle help from my friend the photo software...

Second, a window from same.

And thirdly (thirdly, you say?) a cool lion guard from the king's palace. Not sure what facial expression he is going for, but I dig it.

OK. One more (ravy, no?) This is Transylvania. Of course it is. Seen from the window of a speeding Merc van. So ignore the blurry field and ooooh at the mountainy cloudy goodness.

Day 7 (42): 19th of January
Today is Bulgaria Day. Not a real thing. Or maybe it is. I'm not Bulgarian, so I'd not know, would I? Should probably say it is Rodeo Goes to Bulgaria Day. Border crossing done, we saw some really brilliant country and some really interesting people. First, there was the other tour guide in an old church, who passive aggressively shut the door on us in another space, and got all huffy when we wanted to see the same space... "we cannot possibly both speak in the same area. Did you even tell them about the wheel?" Then she responded to our "thank you" at leaving, with "It's OK." How brilliant. Then at lunch (which took a million years and they clearly never caught the rabbit for the one dish we never saw) we were witness to Bulgarian Iron Man. This chap was the patriarch of a family dining at the place. What made him great was that he was head to toe seafoam green track suit / leisure suit. And at one point he strolled past the window carrying an iron. A classy man never lets his track suit get a wrinkle... Here be photos. I am typing this in a haze of migraine, so my screen is v dim. hopefully the edits (and comments) worked anyhow. iPhonto first. The morning of frog and awesome.

Then this. The reflection is almost cooler than the real houses, but it was a neat effect.

And this. The inside of this church was v eerie 1980s frescoes of rather disturbing scenes. Even for biblical scenes...

Maybe this. So many photos. Another Church, rising up above the town. In really neat light.

Finally this. Another lion. Or rather another lion and its ass. Guarding the castle and creepy church.

Once again at a loss for how to close. For a themeless week, I've had a decent amount of luck finding inspiration (or something). Took loads of photos on the trip (and there's still tomorrow to go!) Starting to get a feel for this whole "composition" thing, so there may be hope for her, yet. The natural landscape of Bulgaria and Romania is breathtaking, but in a stark and curious way. This is the first trip I've taken where the place I go reminds me of nowhere else. Even Africa reminded me of the US. If I squint I can see aspects of the PNW or Midwest, but all the foliage and mountains are really quite different. I could not stop staring at it and wondering all sorts of crazy things. Now all head wurzzie, that is all I have. Back to the sofa. 

Week Five: Five O'Clock Right Here

Maybe it is all the time travel-themed things I've watched / read / listened to lately, or maybe it is just the feeling that I live and die by a bleeding clock, but the v well-defined theme for this week will be Time. Not like Hootie's Time. Not Closing Time, either. Not even Time after Time. But Time is On My Side (yes it is) and while my forays into fotos this week were not spectacular, I think there've been worse. Have been Thematically Challenged much of my adult life, so it is just a struggle I shall continue in silence (except for the sound the keys make as I type).

Day 1 (29): 6th of January
Fitting that a blog themed of time starts with a day during which that infernal clock makes me want to commit atrocities of an indiscriminate nature. I've officially reached the point at which I am no longer happy with so much down time. Have nearly exhausted my "housework" list at work, and busywork for the sake of busywork is just not in my nature. Holiday periods are all well and good, but really. Enough is enough. Give me some boring tasker or short-turn requirement, PLEASE! Being at work for practically just the sake of being there gets old. I asked my boss if I could leave half an hour early the other day. He said, "Only if you make up the time." I said, "OK. It's 35 past 50."
Any rate, in keeping with that, here is a gimmicky clock I bought a while back that looks all melty / Dali-y. I've tried photographing it before, but had minimal success. Outside seems like an interesting place to find a novelty clock...

Plus sunset. Even more of a novelty? Bah. Forget the clock... Pretty clouds...

Day 2 (30): 7th of January
I guess that a truly Grown Up Person knows their own schedule. Not this GUP.  It is far more fun to arrive at work at 0530 blissfully unawares that one needn't be there till 0800, because one has to be there until 2000. Why have a 10 or 12 hour day when there are 14.5 hour days out there in the world, unloved and unappreciated? The late hour of my return home is the reason the below shot looks the way it does. That, and it is I suppose fitting that a blog focused on time has (at least) one shot that falls short due to a lack of the stuff. At least that is my excuse. My version of a GUP occasionally makes poor excuses. Just not in the presence of the D-Bag jar (at least not always, or intentionally). Observe, if you will, the time upon the face. It is incorrect. I did not roll back this clock when that was the thing to do. And I will not. Because then I'd have to roll it back forward in a couple of months. It is a boring clock.

Even with a non-boring angle. It cannot help itself. Jiggly second hand shows I used a single second exposure... interesting.

Day 3 (31): 8th of January
Was reading today about the ways in which the Victorians had it right when it comes to dating. The things referenced included were a) the grooming ritual; b) dancing; c) walks; d) chaperoned dates; and e) romantic gestures. Am a rather old fashioned person when it comes to romance and courtship, so I can get on board with most of that, but I'm a bit of a nincompoop about some of the details (fancying up, mostly). Do like the idea of an old-style courtship, but not necessarily chaperoned dates, though it might stave off some poor choices... The notion of two people falling wildly and madly in love and running away into the night, regardless of family disapproval was not so common for the upper and middle class. Which is a bit of a shame, but I suppose courting and marriage were more career moves, or socio-political arrangements, for the wealthy to stay wealthy. The poor of the world had more freedom to be rakish and wantonly non-snooty about things. Despite that rather random thought train, in keeping with the fact that this is as always a photo blog, I took piccies of a new 2014 calendar, and none really came out, so I gave up on that. Really the best I got was of an old fridge magnet 2013 calendar I only had because I opened a letter from a realtor, only to realise it was not for me, but there was a handy calendar in it so I wasted not. For to want not, you see?.

Day 4 (32): 9th of January
Spent a considerable amount of time today discussing and demonstrating accents. By considerable, I suppose I just mean more than one might expect for such a thing and curiously in more than one setting. Regardless, odd how such things end up linked. Still kind of wish I'd gotten a degree in linguistics; would make my discussions and explanations about accent differences more legitimate and technical. Not that there is anything wrong with my statements of "it's more singsongy" or "it's more spongy" or the ever-popular "it has a bit less stuff in it." Who knows. Everyone has to have their party trick / super power. And while I cannot fly or open champagne bottles with a knife, I can mimic accents. Not voices, mind you. Still my funny voice, just with varied accent and diction. Hmm. What does that have to do with time? Nothing really. But this photo does, and that is the point, isn't it?

Do love this fob watch. I wish I wore garments more regularly that facilitated the wearing of same.

Day 5 (33): 10th of January
Another Friday. There do seem to be rather a lot of them. I am looking back wishing I'd thought at the start of this week of adding a colour element to the time theme, i.e. Monday=Blue, Tuesday=Grey (Wednesday, too). Thursday, well, I really don't care about you (does that have a colour?). But Friday, I'm in... well you know the rest. There are those weeks wherein one lives simply for the last of the workdays. This is one of them. Due not to excess amounts of stress, nor to Big W/end Plans. Nope. This week just has a feel to it - one that says "things are not as they ought be." The best response to such a sense is to simply get over it and get it over with. Must say, though, I hadn't realised how out of sorts not having my things in order had put me. But having a full tank in the bike and a car that is safe to drive (i.e. have full escape options available) has me feeling more at ease than I'd noticed I'd not been. Does that make sense? I imagine so. Enough, any rate. This is another clock. It looks neat. Proves it is five o'clock somewhere...just not here anymore.
A nose walks into a bar and asks for a drink.
The bartender says, "Sorry, I can't serve you. You're already off your face."

Day 6 (34): 11th of January
Wait. They're going to put a clock on the leaning tower of Pisa. That way it'll have both the time and the inclination... No? Nothing? Oh all right. One of these days I may even see the dreaded tower. Problem is that there's not much else in the area, and while it is a short hop from Florence, I generally would rather stay in Florence. Decisions, decisions. Not much else to say. Just going to show the photo. Another clock. This one less boring than the one from Tuesday. And this one is showing the correct time. But only because I bought it after the time change.

Day 7 (35): 12th of January
Figures. Always comes too late (for what, I'm not sure). If I had a time machine or tame time traveler, Sunday would never come too late. Time Travel does exist, I just discovered it next week. Sorry for that. The light this morning was really interesting. All foggy and smoky as it so often is. Got some interesting pics of it, but as I type I'm debating posting one of them as they don't fit the theme. May change my mind by the time I publish the blog, in which case, one will be below. If not, I've teased you and for that I'm (sort of) sorry. What did the butcher say when he backed into the meat-grinder? Looks like I'm getting a little behind in my work! Not sorry for that, however. Nope. Not even a little. Decided to wave the nerd flag in keeping with my tastes and the theme this week. For that reason I put all my sundry TARDIS things together and had a studio-y go with them (the TARDIS is a time machine, for those of you out of the nerd-loop). While the overall shoot looked a bit too "I'm selling things on ebay" (which I most certainly am not) for this blog, suffice it to say it was a pretty impressive assortment. Lunch boxes, USB ports, safes, coasters, toys, a wooly hat with strings, a mug... the list goes on. What I will make you see is just one that I think worked well. Was using a borrowed contraption that puts a series of filters on the end of the lens to futz with the light. Will be something I need to play with more to really understand. Any rate... my time machine.

And the pesky finish. I know that the whole point of this blog thing is to get better at photography, but it certainly seems that I've gotten a bit worse. Especially in the joke department. Not sure if that is because I've stepped away from pre-sets on the camera and focused more on playing with the settings, or if I genuinely have gotten less capable. The jokes are... well there's really no excuse for them. They must be late to the Christmas Cracker auditions. Hopefully (for your sake as well as mine) over the next forty-some-odd weeks, that trend will swing back the proper direction - both trends, really. I've a feeling that themes I choose will rather often start out as good ideas and sometimes not quite hit the mark in execution. But sometimes, the stars will align and the gods will take pity.

Week Two: Tales of Wine and Roses

Shame about the theme. Pretty much all these were shot with my Fancy Camera (Olympus E-520), so there's that, I suppose. A lot of macro-y stuff and some funny light stuff. Really just some Stuff. And a good story, but you have to read through the Stuff first. Spent quite a lot of time in the garden for this week. And will likely spend more time there before we're through. Is my habitat, after all. They tell writers to write what they know, so I gather the same can be said for photography

Day 1 (8): 16th of December
Made it out in a reasonable time for once, and broke a few Naples-beater land speed records in my efforts to beat the sunset. Just wanted to try some low light outdoor shots. Alas, the local populace was having none of that, and I barely made it back before dark. Damn that sun. OK. Science. Damn that orbital pattern. In my haste to not be taking photos of darkness or silly flash-illuminated darkness, I left my fool tripod inside, so my non-blurry shots were predicated on finding a steady surface or two-elbows-plus-wide-stance human tripod (quadpod?). Then there is the not breathing while depressing the button. Not like shooting a gun, where the exhale helps. My comedy of errors/photo session only works if I momentarily become a non-breather. Even then... See for yourself.

This one, too. A bit better, but still.

Day 2 (9): 17th of December
Taking advantage of bossly guidance to not stay all hours at work, I managed to make it home whilst the sun still shone. Not high, by any means, but at least fully above the horizon. This gave me the chance to venture out into the wilds of my garden. Yes, yes. I know. Quite a racy prospect. Particularly because my landlord has not come to do the landscaping in rather a long time. If Naples were the sort of place where it gets properly wintry (snow and frost and such), that would be fine. Sadly, it doesn't get that cold and stays damp, so the grass (and weeds) continues to flourish. Enough whinging. Piccies instead. Took one of my favourite photos from last year of this same rose tree, and got what I think is another really nice one (probably in the same light as the last one). Though this year the edits are just me, and software, rather than instablamming.

I usually get annoyed at photos of dandelion fluff, but I think this came out rather neat.

Day 3 (10): 18th of December
In an attempt to spice things up a bit, I've stayed away from additional flowery shots. Rather difficult, as this whole getting home in the last hour of light means I've not many choices of places to go, besides the immediate surrounds of my little villa. "Go someplace on the way home!" I hear you thinking (or mayhaps that's just the voices in my head). Good option, but I keep forgetting to put my camera in the car, and if I ride to work, I'm even less likely to remember to put my v expensive gear in my saddlebags and risk it being burgled while in the garage. Excuses, excuses. And not v good ones. Ah well. Here's the goods. A piccie of my hammock. Tried to get a feel of disuse, as the weather's not really great for hammock lounging at the moment. Ahh hammock. We shall meet again, old friend.

And this is a photo of a snail, of which there are many slithering about the facade of my house.

Day 4 (11): 19th of December
Insomnia is a jerk. That is all. OK. Not really. Rather it is a sociopath, as it clearly delights in making me dotty and yawny. Does make the drive to and from work a bit sporty, though. Driving home, listening to Paul's Boutique for the umpteenth time in a row, I was fascinated by the smoky (normal for Napoli) evening and brilliant coming dusk. The sky was going nicely flamey and photogenic and even I ought be able to get a - ohgoodgodthisguyhasnoideahowmanywaysi'llkillhimifhedoesn'tdrivefaster. Crisis (and possible violent death) averted, and the shaky overthewheel sunset photo was not the only shot of the night. Cross cats who don't read my blog also fail to understand that in the winter, time is important in this business of snap happery. Far more important than putting food in bowls for silly strays who I don't care for. Not one bit. But OOOOOHHH. PUURRRTY! FLAAAAMMMEY! And by the way... Looking at the sun through a zoom lens is not recommended.

Bit of a cheat session, really, as who could mess up photos like this? Ah well. So.... erm..... this.

Day 5 (12): 20th of December
Friday.....When Black Friday comes I'll be on that hill? Hmmm. Friday never hesitate? No... Get em out by Friday? Not really. On this Friday night, when the feeling's all right? Close... One February Friday? Wrong month. I got it. Friday on My Mind. Who sang that, anyway? No bother. No matter. What's that got to do with anything? Not a thing. I had cake and tea for breakfast. That's how thrilling my day was. Beat that, People With Interesting Lives. But I also took some photos, and that is the whole point. One was another neat sunset, but we need some variety. So instead you get to see the landlord's family shrine Mary. She is really lovely and sort of looks like someone I knew in high school.

And for grins and giggles, some perspective/focus play. Not quite what I was going for...

Day 6 (13): 21st of December
And a classy time was had by all. Wait. That's how it ends. Ah well. There ought be a good story for that to be the case, so let's see... Once upon a time there was a charming stealth ginger who had a ticket to the symphony. To get there, she had to brave a harrowing drive into downtown Naples, one for which she paid 90 euro cents to an enchanted toll booth guarded by a gypsy. After donning her schmancy dress and girl shoes, she made her way with her faithful companion to the home of a brave prince, who was able to provide a healthy amount of boozahol and a team of guardians to accompany the ginger to see v posh music in a v posh opera house (the oldest in Europe, legends say, and also the only Burbon-era one that didn't burn down). After the delight of music, the band of misfits hunted until they found a wizard who served them some tasty pizza, more boozahol and magical rum cake that melted their brains with its sorcery. After slaying the dragon of Saturday crowds and being rewarded with still more boozahol, the merry band went their separate ways to find accommodations for their weary souls at the wee hour of 0400. See first line for closing statement. While that sinks in, here's a photo of a super-zoomed-in succulent of some variety that lives artistically in my garden.

And the Source... at least A source of boozahol. Bottle's a bit dusty.

Day 7 (14): 22nd of December
There is nothing quite so gobsmacking as learning that things have been mucking along beneath one's very own nose, and one is none the wiser. For a cynic, I certainly do see the good in people, and ignore the other. No wonder I've been long seen as the Silly Girl who doesn't get it. Really puts a crimple in one's petticoats. Harshing of mellows for certain. Gotta grow up sometime, honey. Did try to take something worth looking at, but have been in a mental block all day (and it has nothing to do with boozahol...for those at home keeping score). Saw sheep on the way home and couldn't be bothered to stop and shoot (a photo). Did take a nice sweeper of Naples as I walked to my car, but it didn't come out that well. Fought with a shot of a piece of grass for nearly half an hour, then took pictures of dirt and my neighbour's field. This is all that I feel confident enough to post. Sorry.

Bottom Line at the Bottom (BLAB?): Good on week two. Though I've sort of realised as soon as I start snapping (photos) it is hard to stop, and I've limited this to a single shot (ok really two-ish) a day, so it's a bit hard to choose. Dammit there may be a need to still use the other blog after all. Or I could just not force unwitting strangers to stumble upon my boring shots and nonsense witterings.... ah well. We'll see how energetic I get. I've just eaten a rather large thing of ravioli, so at the moment I'd rather just digest. And finish watching Sherlock. Ta.