new year resolutions ...

the line back to the gym at the first of the year. 

 Fingers crossed I will be joining that line at the end of the week. 

While I have missed my weekly routine I sure haven't missed the crazy new years crowd.

here we go ...

I don't know about anyone else but I sleep through more New Year's Eves than I spend counting down the final seconds these days.  The passing of 2017 was no exception as I was again in California visiting my sister, preparing to take in the Tournament of Roses Parade which requires a ridiculously early wake up call.  As a result I generally don't give a whole lot of thought to the outgoing year; but if I were to sum up 2017 it would be as a year that brought us to a fork in the road, 
the stepping off point to inevitable change
- job positions, schooling, residences. 

So here we are at 2018.
While there is less travel planned I am confident there will still be adventure.  
I am hopeful for more photography time and more blog time.
I am determined to reclaim more get healthy time.

So ... here we go.

Its a MEOW Life ...

Life has been happening - the good, the bad, the ugly. 
And as you can well imagine, cats were in the mix.

Cats are like houseguests - 
after a few days they start to smell (quite literally)
and they come for the weekend and stay for months ...

This will be our LAST foster group.
Conclusion - they are ALL adorable and need saved - 
my sanity needs saved too.

And yes, it will be another minimalistic Christmas. 
Approach so far:  
Charlie Brown trees - wait 
wall of Santa's - wait
grapevine wreath tree - relocate - relocate - wait
family tree with lights only -- wait
add garland -- wait
surround with boxes and baskets - wait
while they are asleep add non-breakable ornaments.

Patience is a virtue - and prayers are much appreciated.

easy like Sunday morning ...

in this crazy world we live in, every chance to take a moment and just 'chill' and slow down is to be embraced and cherished.

by all of us --- kitty included.

life less complicated

does that even exist anymore?

bye bye bye July ...

July has been WAS crazy busy, crazy fast, crazy hot, crazy humid. Crazy!

A lot of transitioning going on here.  Shifting gears for the girl in Japan and gearing up for the boy at college.  

I don't like the term "empty nester"

I prefer "parents of free range adults".

Robin Fox  

crazy.quirkly.me ...

Sometimes you just gotta be you.  
With photography this is especially true because while you can replicate images from others, 
you get more satisfaction when you do what is genuinely you.

As for me, there are some consistencies:

[Italy]

Hotel rooms; when I travel I find I must snap a pic. 

 I can't help myself...

[WV]

And the halls ... 

[London]

There must be something with our last name because inevitably we end up with the room at the end of the hall - 

- yea, the one wayyyy...downnnn...there.

(and it is a good way to entertain yourself on the hike) 

Out last trip to Disney broke the distance record leaving us to wonder if by the time we reached our room whether or not we were still in the same resort. We started out in the direction of Epcot and ended up at Hollywood Studios 
- so to speak.

[Hawaii]

I also have moments of being a food photographer - but not full on foodie  level.

A

like my Mickey ice creams

- it's tradition.

[Aulani and Magic Kingdom respectively]

Plus who doesn't like a good coffee selfie

[Paris]

or a Coke when it spells it out.

[Cinderella's Castle]

black and white wednesday ...

In less than a month I will be visiting this fella's human in Japan to help ready her to return home.   

Yes, you read that right - she is coming HOME.

And the closer it gets the more excited I get about it.