Alone and Roaming ...

... but not very far. Spent the day at the apartment and didn't venture out due to some crazy calf charlie horses (my electrolytes must be off) and a whopper of a headache.

But, my! What a place to have to roam:

Seriously rooms with a view ... It is fall here, the weather is divine - especially when leaving something that is getting uncomfortably hot. It does mix one up a bit - leave in the sweltering heat and end up here - with absolutely perfect weather (ahem ... except for the occasional foggy morning ...). I'm not complaining.

Spent my first night alone in the apartment. Was a bit weird - but nothing I can't handle. Woke up at 11:00pm and discovered that Gary had a Photoshop assignment for me - thus passing away some sleepless hours. Got enough sleep to start to acclimate to this time zone - and I have been fairly alert and awake today - so maybe it won't be so much of an adjustment. When you are an insomniac to start with - jet lag just doesn't seem to affect you - you are ALWAYS jet lagged - so no biggie ... see how simple that is?

Here is the place to be on a day like today:

One of the balconies - we have two small balconies that pretty much cover the entire end of the pie shaped apartment - the big piece being the view end. It is where you can enjoy the weather, the comings and goings of life on the river and this:

It is one amazing view and apparently I cannot get enough of it or photograph it too much ...

Not much photo taking today. More reading, talking to myself, walking out charlie horses, viewing Photoshop CS5 tutorials and general lazing about. Did notice that the boats that are docked in a particular area looked to be in a parade - being blown about by the wind and looking a bit more like they were in motion rather than in a boat parking lot:

So ... "Boat Parade" was pretty much it. Other than a new technique I am learning about in Photoshop CS5 called 'Puppet Warp'. Oh, yes - Puppet Warp. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of Gary with his legs spread and arms spread or ... what fun I could have - placing 'pins' in his elbows and knees, feet and hands and making him dance! It is truly a phenomenal tool and let me bend water today:

I took this:

and turned it into this. Skipped the step where I threw the drops in so it does not look very realistic - but it is a work in progress - I just lost interest when my head started throbbing - don't know why I am posting it ...

And, of course, the flower update:

My tulips are peeking!

They are going to be beauties:

So, tomorrow Gary gets back - which will be a definite plus - he is at a ranch that he says I would LOVE to photograph. I told him to take pictures for me and so I could play with them. Not really my style, playing with others photographs - but it will have to do ....


And the botanical gardens is on the agenda for tomorrow - I need to see my lily pads! Are they open? Dead? Just gotta go see them and hope to find my very large lounging lizard while I am there - they are always fun to photograph!


So nothing new - but this month (I am here till the 25th) is really just to hang with Gary and don't have anything extraordinary planned. It should be nice and restful ...