Smyress

Letter to Self

2012-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Self,

Never forget how blessed you are, how fortunate for the good life you have, your health, your spouse, your pets, your warm bed and the roof over your head. Never forget.

I'm not one who likes to book years and don't particularly care for the calendar either. However since this is what is used I use it too.

Weight 67.15 kg
chess rating 1618
net worth 5 figures
health good
debt zero
favorite breakfast maltomeal and cream of wheat half each
favorite drink chai tea with almond milk
favorite food chips

I'm proud of myself for even daring to try; many people won't even do that!

Tiny flower

2011-07-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Lizard

2011-05-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus a picture finally inspired me to resume the blog and my dear friend Virginia.

The Lazy Dames

2009-10-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, too long really, since I've taken a picture that turned me on.
So it was a pleasant result when this simple rose photo came out as nice as it did.
I particularly like the woodgrain effect of the wet lattice and the tail light reflections on the wet pavement in contrast to the flashlit rose. Yes the flashfired here and to good effect. The Casio EX-Z750 came through again for me.

This is Cathy and Michelle selfshot with the Canon Powershot Pro90
just fooling around. Love that articulating LCD so you can see yourself.

I've been collecting affirmations lately. Here are a few:

As I become more and more aware of myself
as an eternal consciousness,
I become more peaceful and at ease with all that happens
in my life. Physical reality reflects this peace back to me.

I boldly face the new challenges in life that awakening and becoming
aware of who I really am brings.

Today I turn within and allow the spiritual wisdom
that I am to flow into everything I say and do.
I already am everything I will ever need.

If old memories rise to the surface, I investigate the emotional content in a balanced way, and move deeper into the emotion and through it, finding my eternal self again, and making peace with the old memory.

I am free of the past and the future. The moment I live in is now,
with no history affecting my choices in the present.

I have unlimited resources of abundance, love, and knowledge.
I am wealthy on all levels, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

I am a lovable person who is loved by others. I am appreciated by others.

I love others no matter how they act, or what their faults are.
Even if I don't want to be around their personality, I love them as the eternal being that they truly are.
I overlook the shortcomings of others. I have no judgement.

I give freely and effortlessly to the universe, for that same energy of love and
abundance provides for all my needs.

I truly believe and know my good, and I choose to embody that feeling right here, right now!

I am humble, because no matter how awake I become, I realize that the human condition is a lifelong limitation and I cannot be perfect all the time.

I am gentle and nurturing to myself. I say only kind things to myself. I am my own best friend.

I am a radiant source of love on the Earth for others, rather than needing others to be a source of love for me.
I am the source of love.

There are deeper meanings under all events in life that I may never understand. I accept these events and experiences even though I don't understand why they are happening.

I remember who I am. I am a part of the vast scheme of all that is, and as such I allow the divinity that I am to be present in every moment.

I am doing exactly what I need to be doing at this time.

I am mature, wise, and intelligent. Any thoughts I have to the contrary are only illusory fears.

If I fight with another I'm really fighting with myself because we are both God.

I am free, even in the midst of limitation within the illusions of life.

I am willing to ask for help. I recognize when I need help.

I trust my inner wisdom. I trust the information I get from my deeper resources and intuition.

I am a living prayer. I am always focusing on the highest and best as already part of my life right now.

Everyone is Buddha sent to teach me. The teacher is everywhere. Life is the guru.

I love and appreciate myself. I overlook my shortcomings and love myself anyway.

The intelligence of Spirit expresses through me as right decision and right action.
I accept the free flow of life in all my affairs. I live life to the fullest.

Self hate is an illusion. Hate of others is also an illusion.
I go deeper than illusion and find the truth of who I really am.
Hate disappears in this, even self hate.

The Grasshopper

2009-10-19T14:20:00.001-07:00

One day a book publisher in London saw me in one of the pictures Michelle took and wanted to put my picture in their book. Here is the picture:

This is my first paid for photograph. I'm very greatful to Frances Vargo and
Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
The Penguin Group (UK) 80
The Strand London WC2R 0RL
RHS (RHS stands for 'Royal Horticultural Society').
The picture will be used in the book: Simple Steps: Pests and Diseases'
Pests & Diseases Adults, Jenny Baskaya (195)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405348860

In Remembrance of AmityAnn

2009-10-18T11:57:00.001-07:00

Gone but not forgotten AmityAnn Oct 18, 2006 RIP
In Remembrance of AmityAnn a fiesty old Dachshund
who gave her all to life. She passed peacefully in the night at the foot of
the bed, her rightful place.
Michelle and Cathy

Testimony to Diet

2009-10-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

_______________________________________________________________

The last couple of days I've decided to listen to my body and eat whatever it indicated to me that it wants. Face it any particular diet involves the ego. Being imperfect beings the ego is also going to be imperfect so my thinking is if I follow my instincts that will take the ego out of the equation and may give me just what I need as far as food.

There is so much information out there and we don't know the motivation behind the people putting it out. For instance cholesterol, they come out with some numbers, call them ideal, and then sell you drugs to bring your numbers into their ideal range. My pharmacist told me our brains are made out of cholesterol and that we need it. So who do you believe?

I was drinking the soy milk and even came to tolerate it but this morning dug deep in the pantry for that can of evaporated milk that has been there for two years, opened it up and put some in my coffee with some brown sugar and wow, was that ever better tasting that the soy which I was just able to tolerate. Sometimes you just have to believe your taste buds.

BTW, who says that living longer is better than enjoying life to the fullest or that they're mutually exclusive? Is there a shortage of people? What is the carrying capacity of the planet? If we are eternal what's the point of trying to stretch life to the ultimate amount of minutes anyway? Doesn't that simply slow down your evolving?

I'm 67 and look younger in spite of having hepatitis C so I think I'm doing something right by eating a mixed diet involving all food groups.

I'd like to add that after four days of UT on my feet the thick callouses on my heals are nearly gone. It's like a miracle I put my feet in a rectangular plastic pan in the morning and pee in it and let them soak a bit, then step into my slippers without rinsing the feet.

‹(•¿•)›
Michelle Ress Felton, CA

I release my fear about death. If I am

eternal, then death is no more than

waking up from a dream.

Pine Tree Down

2009-10-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

In case you thought you lived forever
this old dead pine tree is being taken
down before it falls and hurts someone.
It will leave a big hole in the sky.
Goodbye big pine.

The enormity of this tree seen in wide angle. The fellow in the bucket is high
enough, the fellow up in the tree is way up there.

These men are really talented and do a top notch job.

Heal Thy Self

2009-09-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

From Michelle's album

I feel I'm on a very spiritual journey and believe a lot of it has to do with creative visualization and positive affirmations
such as:
All the power and presence in the Universe is right where I am. I am always in a state of perfect equilibrium because I am receptive to the divine truth around me and in me.

I just got my viral load reading and it's 58 and that is down from 8560 in April.

For me that indicates that I'm doing something right:
better diet
take off excess weight
quit any bad habits (alcohol in my case)
take the usual herbs and supplements
drink only distilled water
get plenty of rest
don't stress
positive affirmations
mental imagining
colloidal silver (make my own)
urine therapy (I drank my first urine the day before this viral load test)
adequate exercise (we disconnected the cable tv so no more of that trash)
loving family (Cathy I love you)
sleeps with dogs and a cat who are aiding in healing me
listen regularly to my HCV meditation CD
spend a lot of time on internet learning all I can
keeping an open mind
willing to try many alternative paths looking for the right one for me

This is what I meant awhile back by the hard way as opposed to standard
treatment where you take your medicine. Sure you may feel lousy but you don't have to exert yourself to do such things as change your diet, lose, weight, drink your urine, concentrate your mind to fight the virus with the power of your intellect, giving up your favorite drinks, going to bed early, spending the morning juicing fruits and vegetables, spending your hard earned money on distillers, colloidal silver generators, juicers, water meters, healthy food, and supplements.

All those items listed above take a lot of will power, effort, and commitment.
You must also believe. I believe. (thank you Suzanne Blind Owl)

Before April I was just going along my merry way getting fat, becoming lazy, taking the medicine prescribed to me, not paying any attention to my health because I didn't really even believe I had HCV then the ALT and AST readings went up. Whether that was due to the cholesterol meds themselves or in combination with my coasting along don't do anything that takes will power lifestyle no one will really ever know.

But this I do know. We can heal ourselves but it's very hard work.

Michelle

The Fall Rant

2009-09-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I was entering the results from my VA lab work into a spreadsheet and noticed that back in April they tested me for amphetamines, marijuana, barbiturates, cocaine, and opiates.
When I saw that I got upset as I don't recall giving informed consent.
I feel violated.
If they wanted to know why didn't they just ask?

This is why people are leery about universal health care.
We don't want the government snooping in our body chemistry.
This is why it is necessary to end the insane war on some drugs.
Ending the war on illegal drugs like opium will also change the tide of the war in Afghanistan.
That war is unwinnable.
No invading army that destroys fields of flowers can ever take the moral high ground.
If God hadn't wanted us to use opiates S/he wouldn't have given us opiate receptors. Duh!
Ending the war on drugs and disbanding the DEA would also pay for universal health care and we wouldn't have so many folks in prison for the crime of getting high.

Actually ending the war on drugs would deflate Al Qaeda as they wouldn't be able to get drug money any more. We have a lot of nerve pushing alcohol and tobacco while at the same time jailing people for poppies and pot. How ludicrous, how lame, how hypocritcal. Makes me lose all faith in some government policies.

I've since found out that the tox screen is a standard proceedure to see if a person is a proper candidate for treatment. So now I've got to wonder why they didn't also screen me for alcohol and tobacco.

Jason putting up new rain gutters

2009-09-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jason

A pocket knife given to me by Stacey Schaedler.
Thanks Stacey

coffee

2009-09-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

"Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well."
(The Book of Proverbs 5:15)

This is a picture of me,with Amanada. It's several years old. Amanda has gone on to the Bridge but she lives on in our hearts.

Rant on coffee:

May I suggest you don't consider coffee a vice.
Consider it medicine and get on with the healing.
Drinking good coffee is a virtue, not a vice.

It's just like anything else we attatch a label too like "illegal drugs" are "bad"
to me illegal drugs are good. Their very illegality gives them a aura of virtue
and the implicit message is that if illegal drugs are bad then legal drugs are good but look at alcohol and tobacco. We know they aren't good, yet they're legal, they're bad so by the same logic illegal drugs are good.

Coffee is only bad if abused which is what is happening now with these energy
drinks being goosed with high doses of caffeine. Enjoy your coffee in reasonable doses and consider it part of your healing activities.

Michelle
ps this message is not intended to stir up any controversy, nor is it intended to heal or treat any condition. These statements have not be verified by the FDA

Lurking Lazy

2009-09-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

We took the Lazy Daze to my dermatology appointment at Fort Ord and spent the night so we were there first thing in the morning. It was quite nice. Here is a picture of us parked out where the pickle weed grows:

UT Don't Bug Me About It!

2009-09-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'll try nearly anything once and have been using CS (colloidal silver) since April after it cured my death bed dog. I hadn't noticed any improvement in myself and am having a blood test tomorrow to compare with the one I had in April though they say the ALT, AST, and viral load readings yoyo and don't mean much wrt what is happening in your liver anyway.

But this post is about something new for me, urine therapy. Yesterday on this list (4colloidalsilver) UT was suggested as being helpful so I spent much of the rest of the day reading up on it. This morning I had a spoonful or so of my first pee upon rising and my instant reaction was "this is too salty" For years I've dealt with a salt addiction and high blood pressure. My pee tasted like salty chicken soup and I did have chicken for dinner so the biofeedback was instantaneous. I'll cut back on salt now where before tasting my own salty pee it wouldn't have happened. That one taste did more for me than any amount of other convincing could possibly do to get me to cut back my salt consumption.

Next I found myself drinking a whole glass of distilled water, something I never do that early in the morning, I got rid of my salty hot sauce and can only invision my salt consumption going down as I fine tune my body with the feedback from the urine tasting. I'm sure more will be revealed with continued consumtion like a cook fine tuning a recipe.

Beyond that I am wired. Usually it's 3pm before I even get moving; this morning I've got more energy than I've had in years. Part of that could be that we are going out for an overnight in the motorhome today, something we haven't done in a long time but I attribute it mainly to the urine therapy.

Does anyone else have any input on this subject?

We survived 9/11 hurray!

2009-09-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

Wonder how a storm would be in the treehouse? I've ridden out a few storms in the boat and they are exciting for sure and the long ones can wear you down. It's morning here and the weather predicts rain but I doubt even a drop will hit the ground. I don't know where they get their weather info for this area but it is rarely correct.

Just made another blog post, trying to document what's going on in my life Put a picture of me with Pride the parakeet sitting on my head two years ago. That bird got cat ate, should have gave it away or let it lose, sigh.

Anyhow got a bark collar yesterday and it came with a dead battery so I complained and am waiting to see if they refund me 6.95 the cost of the battery or not. May not find out until Monday when the weekend is over but that's alright. I ordered two batteries on amazon and paid for them with my gift certificate from my amazon visa card.

It could rain today since we have the front porch tarp removed, murphy's law, and all.

We're having grilled salmon for dinner, got them in the clearance fish dept at safeway yesterday while picking up the meatloaf. Another way we keep our grocery bill low besides the lowest prices list is to not buy something unless it's on sale except for necessities because I've learned that if I break down and buy something it will go on sale right after that and I'll be bummed so better to just not buy it in the first place and I really don't like Costco coupons.

Instead of taking a shower last night I cleaned off with Cetaphil, are you familiar with that? it's real nice lotion to clean your skin. Follow it with a damp wash cloth.

Where did the summer go?

2009-09-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

What does something require for you to consider it proof?
For instance if I were to cure myself would you consider that proof?
I'm not even sure I would consider it proof because I don't know if it could
be replicated. However I will say this. If I cure myself I will blog it and
detail it in the best manner I can so that others can benefit from it and
if I fail I'll blog that as well. Have you searched the blogs for people that have
fought and defeated HCV.

I'm keeping my thoughts in my smyress blog but it's hardly HCV specific
since I dont want my entire life to rotate around a virus. It's one part of me
like the Demodex folliculorum that live on my eyelashes or the flora
that lives in my intestine. I just want to keep it all in check, balance
if you will.

A lot like the email in my inbox. If there is the proper amount that's fine
but when there is too much I get overwhelmed and that's the time to call
in the delete key and change my settings. I do the same with my life.

Any success I have will hardly qualify as proof of anything more than that one
person succeeded and those who have cured HCV before us on their own
have likely woodworked themselves and vanished. (slipped into the woordowrk, opposite to coming out of the woordwork)

Have a council meeting. To that meeting invite the part of yourself that wants to do the right thing to heal your body. Invite the part of yourself that has other priorities and doesn't have the long view. Invite your liver to the council meeting. Invite any healing symbols and allies to the council meeting.

In council discuss what needs to be done for the long view, the healing plan. See things from the point of view of your liver. Ask your liver how it feels about every act your body does and factor that into your actions.

Love your body, it is the home to your spirit. Thank if for all things it does right, take care of it, trust your higher instincts. Focus on your breathing, make every inhalation an intake of healing energy and every exhalation a discharge of waste and toxins.

Forgive yourself, forget the past, look at the now.

Sunday Brunch

2009-09-06T13:02:00.002-07:00

The other day standing under the stars I had a glimpse of myself in relation to the cosmos. I saw how tiny I was in relation to the vastness of it all then saw how tiny the virus is in relation to the human body.

From there my mind drifted to the idea that humans are a virus to the earth infecting nature's grandeur as the song goes "they took paradise and put up a parking lot" much like the HCV virus hardens and infects and destroys the liver.

In that sense I came to realize that perhaps the HCV virus is one of earth's ways of protecting itself from humans. At that point I realized the rest of my life I must do good for the earth. I must become the best friend of the earth so that it doesn't have to destroy me as self defense.

It was the First of September 2009

2009-09-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.
- Mickey Mantle

Let that be a lesson to all of us. We don't die because we reach a certain age.
We die because we wore out, some of that is natural but much of it depends on how
we treat ourselves during our lives.

Ask yourself whenever you do something, is this a contribution, or an impediment
to longevity.

my birthday

2009-08-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

I've decided to make a post on my birthday so next year I can remember it, if I can find it.

A letter to Monica,

Perhaps you were thinking of me because it's my birthday, 67. Cathy & I went to the beach and let the dogs play near the water's edge. It was fun and the water wasn't that cold. I waded out and got wet some. Then we came home and had pizza; now I'm drinking a root beer. It was a good day.

There was an attractive spider out in the yard so I took a few pictures:

Earlier in the day Cathy saw a plant that looked like a pepper plant:

Michelle

the start of the repaint project

2009-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

We're going to repaint the motorhome by hand.
these ladder mounts are the first of what will be a long ongoing project

Confessions of an internet addict

2009-08-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a junkie, currently the internet is my drug of choice though in the past it's been alcohol, pot, and heroin.

I also like games though the old classic ones like chess and backgammon, and a few other games like outbreak and go moku at present. I mostly play at gameknot.com, goldtoken.com, itsyourturn.com, and schemingmind.com.
We have an internet business with a storefront on amazon where we sell various items bought on ebay where I exploit the spread.
http://www.amazon.com/shops/Michelle_Ress
That's a game too. Find something in the amazon catalog that you can buy cheaper on ebay then resell it. Score is kept by how much you make
and how good you can keep your ratings.

My hobby is playing with all the stuff I buy and sell like cameras, pda's, smartphones, radar detectors, crap found on woot, books, and I've even sold a couple of games like a chess computer and a Merlin.

We also have an old motorhome which we tinker with adding such things as solar panels so we can power our electronics while on the road. I recently got a Cradlepoint router that will take a Verizon data card to take our own personal wifi hotspot with us.

I'm partnered up. Cathy and I just shared our 13th anniversary. We have five dogs, three Chihuahua mix rescues and two dachshund rescues. Which reminds me electronic dog collars is something else we buy and sell. A bit of the gaming there using a gadget to bridge the communication gap between species.

I'm old but young. I have HCV hepatitis C so don't mess with me or I'll bleed on you. I'm healthy otherwise and no I'm not changing my password as I use Roboform which will handle that strong one given to me by negativegamer.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That is the bio I just posted on negativegamer.com
a website where one of my pictures turned up and I failed to see the attribution
at the bottom of the article and got involved in a discussion there. That seemed
interesting so I decided to join the website but flunked the test several times
before finally passing.

I've been putting a disproportionate amount of pictures here so decided to balance
them out with a few words not that I expect more than a handful of eyeballs to ever
grace them but you never know, the law of abundance could kick in at any moment
like it did yesterday while searching for a parking place in the shade and a car
pulled out giving us the perfect spot just as we were in position to take it.

July 2009

2009-07-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Two Old Dogs Tobi left, Kona right

June 2009

2009-06-11T10:36:00.001-07:00

The promise of the flower
beauty delivered even if the fruit never materializes

May 2009

2009-05-03T12:47:00.001-07:00

As good as it gets: a satisfying candy bar after walking the dogs Jason with Rusty
Santa Cruz Mountains. May 23, 2009

To Sookie, Happy Birthday!

Quita and Ruffles

This past week has been a tough one here. My recent blood test indicated that I have issues to deal with. Either the Zetia has caused my ALT and AST readings to go up or the Hepatitis C is active.

During the last year I got lax and stopped taking the Milk Thistle and also started eating pretty much whatever and apparently that strategy isn't working so.

I started the Milk Thistle again along with a bunch of other herbs and I've quit the Zetia and on May 20 I'm going to the VA liver people in Palo Alto for a consultation. I haven't decided whether to take the traditional treatment or not because it's long and can be unpleasant.

taken by Cathy Smyre

April started out cold but turned hot

2009-04-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Now it's cold again

Our first potato bush flower of 2009

Back to my roots

Frayed tarp on skylight in morning sun. April 21, 2009

Sunday April 5, 2009 It was a cold morning so I built a hot fire

Up Close and Reaching Out
Took the Panasonic FZ50 out for a test run today and got a close up and a far out. It was not the camera for intermediate range shots like houses from the sidewalk though.

foreboding picture

2009-03-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

I took this picture the day before an earthquake.

blatant commercialism

2009-03-20T14:12:00.001-07:00

February/March 2009

2009-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

Perky resting comfortably in the Lazy Dame

Orange Flowers in Clover

Sunset in the Redwoods
This was taken with a Dimage Z2 ISO400 aperature priority, handheld

From Photos for the blog

Sunset from Scotts Valley CA with a Dimage Z2

From Photos for the blog

This is an older photo taken with the Z6

January 2009

2009-01-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

woodstove fire with Vistaquest VQ1005

taken with a Casio ex-z750 in sunset mode. Santa Cruz harbor sunset from the fuel dock.

hot solution to cold weather

2008-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

In the midst of winter there is warmth

My December 2008 photo taken by Cathy

Large Oak Tree near Felton Library

When the weather cools off I start hitting the Cayenne pepper
which can be used in many ways also those pepper flakes that go on pizza.

It can be sprinkled in your socks to help keep your feet warm.
It can be sprinkled on your food to warm you from the inside
and it can be made into a broth with a bouillon cube and drank as hot as you
can take it.

When I'm sick and have chills I will take a 00 capsule of Cayenne, not on
an empty stomach, and it will turn the chills into a sweat real quick.

One other thing I've done is to burn a candle in a glass holder with a top
part
that encloses the flame and then cup my hands around the candle holder to
warm them up. I also wear fingerless gloves and a sweater cap most of the time
even indoors and let's not forget a dog or two or even three on your lap if
they
are small enough.

I drive our Lazy Daze with a dog on my lap as it's old enough to not have air bags.

Fall 2008

2008-11-09T12:49:00.001-08:00

Here is a picture of the corner section of our front yard taken with the Olympus
C2100 and a Tiffen 87 infrared filter.

Recently I aquired a Hoya R72 infrared filter and that peaked my interest in infrared photography. This is a photograph taken with an Olympus C2100 effectionately know as the Uzi of the trees, sky, and clouds from our front yard.

Dad and Cathy Thanksgiving 2008

For years I've had a concern with the American style of death wishing for something natural and not contrived like what much of the funeral industry cooks up.

Now with concerns about global warming cremation seems disrespectful to the environment however there is a movement for green burial in a natural preserve that honors nature as we return
our body to it.

I found this picture on this website:
http://www.naturalburialground.com/default.htm
It appeals to me and if and until something better comes along
this seems like a reasonable way to return my body to the earth
when it's time to give up the ghost.

Michelle Ress November 28, 2009

Kelly Holding Lil' Girl

Kelly holding Lil Girl, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Kelly is the wonderful lady who was fostering Lil Girl when we adopted her. We will always love you.
Michelle Cathy Lil Girl Ruffles Perky Kona Tobi
all of us

brown and white horse, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This is one of my favorite pictures. It was taken at a distance with a lot of zoom. The day was a wintery day with misty rain.

mushrooms nov 11 08

2008-11-08T19:18:00.001-08:00

mushrooms nov 11 08, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Cathy found these growing near the motorhome.
I took this picture with my newest toy a Finepix2800

Orange Buoy and Pelican

2008-11-06T21:42:00.001-08:00

Orange bouy and Pelican, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Been too long since posting a picture. We walked out to the Walton LIghthouse today and saw this picture along the way. It was rather warm for November, I went barefoot.

Chiquita

2008-08-17T11:34:00.001-07:00

Lil' Girl with sandy face, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Chiquita aka Little Girl the day we adopted her.

echinacea, originally uploaded by safoocat.

I like the colors in this flower.

Tiny Flower red

2008-08-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

Tiny Flower red, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Every once in awhile I take a picture that stands out on the screen.
This is one of those snapshots. It was taken near Polo Loco in downtown Santa Cruz, Ca.

Vanessa & Ratatoille

2008-06-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

Vanessa & Ratatoille, originally uploaded by safoocat.

First picture of our new rats which we got from freecycle from another person named Michelle who is moving to Merced. We wish her luck.

For Cricket on her Birthday

2008-05-31T11:30:00.001-07:00

family photo 12 11 07, originally uploaded by safoocat.

From our family to your family
Michelle, Cathy, Kona, Tobi

Squirrel Closeup 29May08

2008-05-30T10:08:00.001-07:00

Squirrel Closeup 29May08, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This squirrel is my buddy. He comes around to eat and pose for me.

Chimney for Sabath

2008-05-12T10:49:00.001-07:00

Chimney for Sabath, originally uploaded by safoocat.

Getting back into HDR photography.
Used the Panasonic DMC FZ30 here.
Three exposures. Michelle

Frank Adamson

2008-05-06T11:35:00.001-07:00

Frank Adamson, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This is what I like, photographing people out doing what they can to participate in our society. Michelle

forgetmenot

2008-04-29T12:38:00.001-07:00

forgetmenot, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This is a simple weed taken with a simple camera edited with
a simple software.

potato flower cropped

2008-04-26T09:15:00.001-07:00

potato flower cropped, originally uploaded by safoocat.

I'm jazzed by the response to this photograph of the first potato plant flower of the spring in our yard. Michelle

societal failure

2008-04-19T19:45:00.001-07:00

societal failure, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This compelling photograph foretells
a disturbing drift downward as more
people are priced into cheaper rigs.

lens caps painted

2008-03-28T12:09:00.001-07:00

lens caps painted, originally uploaded by safoocat.

These are homemade lens caps. To see the various steps go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/sets/72157603251161721/

camera light 1

2008-03-11T15:51:00.001-07:00

camera light 1, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This 4 superwide angle LED light is homemade from a kit.
It is powered by 3 AAA batteries, has an on/off switch and a
tripod mounting screw. It also doubles as a flashlight and
it's a great bedside reading light.

Common Goldeneye

2008-03-06T21:57:00.001-08:00

Common Goldeneye, originally uploaded by safoocat.

the markings on this bird and the reflections in the water
make me very happy with this photograph taken in the park
during my lunch break from jury duty.
Michelle

Pride's last photo

2008-03-03T19:09:00.001-08:00

Pride's last photo, originally uploaded by safoocat.

I miss you Pride, I will always miss you.
Farewell my friend. Michelle

brown and white horse

2008-02-19T20:01:00.001-08:00

brown and white horse, originally uploaded by safoocat.

It's been awhile since I've blogged. Obama just won Wisconsin.
It was drizzling today.
This horse was standing near the gate either waiting for someone
or wanted out. Perhaps it was waiting for this photo to be taken.
Perhaps not.
Michelle

snail macro

2008-02-04T14:23:00.001-08:00

snail macro, originally uploaded by safoocat.

taking care of business
yes we can

http://www.dipdive.com/

Cathy on hand sculpture

2008-01-15T20:59:00.001-08:00

Cathy on hand sculpture, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This is a beautiful sculpure and is an ideal place for a portrait.
Cathy honors me with a pose. The DimageZ2 delivers.

goodnight 1 10 08

2008-01-13T17:02:00.001-08:00

goodnight 1 10 08
Originally uploaded by safoocat

every once in awhile it's nice to put up a self portrait

moss on wood 1 12 08

2008-01-13T16:26:00.001-08:00

moss on wood 1 12 08
Originally uploaded by safoocat

even in winter there is growth and life

Olds 98 21/365

2008-01-13T16:18:00.001-08:00

Olds 98 21/365, originally uploaded by safoocat.

This old rusty car was found in Sunnyvale, CA and this photo
was taken with the Vistaquest vq1005 key chain camera.

Aloe the healing plant

2008-01-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

The color is unbelievable. The setting sun lit this plant up like Christmas tree ornaments. A great way to end the day near Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, CA.

Change of Camera

2008-01-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've noticed the colors with the Vistaquest are much more vibrant and the effect more etherial that with the Canon so I'm going to use it for my main camera and the Rebel for special situations that require either a long lens, or a macro lens or a faster shutter or a flash.

This bleeding saw mill is an example of the richness achieved with the Vistaquest that just is not there with the Canon at least not without any filters that I have.

Christmas Day 2007

2007-12-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

I've often thought that the calendar should not be based on a religious event like the year 2007. What about all the people in the world that aren't Christians? Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if the calendar was based on the birth of Budha or some other figure? It would be unsettling to say the least.

So here we are in an unsettled world yearning for peace and freedom.

My picture today is the furled flower hope for a future.
This photo though not taken today is recent. It's also my first
offering to the flickr group 1 Flower 4 Freedom
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1flower4freedom/pool/

Darkness and Light

2007-12-20T09:12:00.001-08:00

In the darkness there is light.

project 365 day 2

2007-12-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

Cathy & I took the girls and went to Costco today in the Lazy Daze. We strapped Terra and AmityAnn's stroller onto the rear ladder and had a good old time.
Saw this clean Harley and used the nifty fifty lens on the Rebel to capture my shot for the day. Here is is.

project 365 1 of 365

2007-12-09T12:26:00.001-08:00

Hopefully I'll be able to post a picture a day to help me
not only improve my photography but also remember the year.
The pancakes and bacon were delicious.

Rainbow

2007-11-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

It wasn't a tough call as they brought us to it, the birds did, by getting wilder every day all summer taking over the living room. Finally we couldn't take it any more and I clipped their flight feathers. It's been several weeks now and I just trimmed them a second time as they were starting to fly again.

I'm attempting to tame them and it's a long slow process. I got them to sit on a perch ok and now I'm working on getting them to perch on my finger which is considerably more difficult.

Here is a picture of Rainbow taken recently. He was the noisyest of the birds.

Santa Cruz, CA fall tree

2007-11-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

This beautiful fall tree is what I can only imagine New England must look like. Here the fall trees are hit and miss as most of them turn yellow then brown skipping the brilliant red coloring but this tree did itself proud. It was downtown near the library that we found it, Cathy & I. I took this shot from the car, with a Canon Digital Rebel and HDR'd it on the computer to bring out the colors.

Selling Olympus Evolt E-300

2007-11-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Having too many cameras and not enough lenses has prompted me to sell one of my cameras so I've decided to sell the Olympus. It's currently listed on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250183712659&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=015

and I have a gallery of pictures on flickr:
http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/1850574716/in/set-72157602892337442/

Fall 2007

2007-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

This photo is the sky over Felton, CA on Friday Nov 9, 2007 in the early morning.
Nothing ever came of these clouds. We are in a drought.

Summer is gone and slipped by without one sigle blog post mainly because I've become a flickr addict and am spending all my time on flickr. I've decided to post a few of my what I consider to be my more interesting photographs on the blog just to keep it from dying of neglect.

A day at the tint shop

2007-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here is Cathy and Kona with our freshly tinted windows on the Prius.
Here is an old Union76 gas pump we found during our walk while the Prius windows were being tinted.

Costco parking lot Santa Cruz, CA

2007-07-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

basal cell carcinoma

2007-07-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

Recently I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma on my face.
Moss surgery was used to cut the cancer out in three cuts.
Here are some photos of the scar one week later:

2007-07-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Cathy took this picture of me at the Scott's Valley Gardening Fair. It was very hot.

2007-07-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

This is the front window of the overhead bunk with two layers of the buble foil insulation set in the window grooves. They are held together with foil tape and form a great light seal and insulator.

Michelle with home grown chard

2007-06-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Solar Panel installation

2007-06-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

This is a small solar panel mounted on the refrigerator vent cover. The panel will be used
to maintain the engine battery. It puts out about 300 milliamps in full sunlight. The wires
were run down the vent shaft. The ground wire was grounded with the refrigerator ground lug and the positive lead was routed to the engine compartment partially inside the coach and partially underneath the coach attatching at the isolator. June 17, 2007

Eternabond leak repair

2007-03-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

We used the foil Eternabond to repair the leaks in our cab over then spray painted it with exterior enamel that is fairly close to the color of the Lazy Dazy.

Running boards and step repair

2007-03-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

We used rolled roofing and polyurethane construction adhesive to apply the material.

The step and running boards needed the covering repaired as the rubber was cracking off.

This is the runing board after an application of foil tape and spray paint.

Backup (rear view) camera installation

2007-02-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

These are three images of the back up camera that we purchased from Costco.

The camera is mounted inside the coach near the top of the rear window using
two pieces of plastic that were bent to the correct angle with a heat gun.

The on/off switch is mounted near an overhead light where a 12 volt line was tapped.
The camera and monitor turn on and off seperately. The monitor has its own on/off
switch mounted on the console.

I used the provided double sided adhesive to mount the camera on the dash once
a satisfactory location was found. I used duct tape to hold it in place first to make sure the location was good. Power for the monitor was tapped off of the supply to the cigarette lighter in the dash. It came with an alternate 12V plug for that recepticle for anyone not wanting to do wiring under the dash.

We leave the camera on all the time while driving. It has a very wide angle lense but still is a great aid. I plan to experiement with the angle of the camera to get optimal range. It's great for backing up and watching tailgaters but the image drops off quickly at extended distances. There is very little interference with the signal.

Michelle 2/17/2007 Felton, Ca.

Super Bowl Sunday

2007-02-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

We debated whether to watch the game but turned in on about twenty minutes in.
I must say the main reason we're watching is because Ronn Owens will be talking about
the commercials on his talk show Monday morning and it's nice to know what he's talking
about. That's on KGO.com on the Internet.

We were in town earlier and it was 78 degrees and only 59 when we got back home.
Cathy picked up her prescription at Safeway and used the new insurance and there
was no copay so that was a nice surprise.

I've been working on the Lazy Daze a little bit at a time. I got the back up camera mounted
and will post some pictures of it when it's done. Currently I'm working on getting the CB working. It didn't have any voltage and I had to dig deep to find where it was getting its power including lifting up the bulk as it's ceiling mounted and removing the cowling as I blew the 12 volt outlet plug fuse and had to trace that wire to see where the fuse was located.

In the process of removing the cowling I missed the bottom two mounting screws and broke
the cowling around the screw holes and that is out and being epoxied back together.

Michelle

Jan 5, 2007

2007-01-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

First post of the new year thanks to Sheilah my trading friend
who reminded me I had a blog.
It's also the first post since updating
to the new blog format.

Today we almost forgot our Gray Bears food bag
since they had stopped for the holidays
but when we got down to the church
the two ladies were sitting in their respective vehicles
keeping warm. They said they stay until 9 a.m.
and we had about ten minutes to spare.

The Prius mileage has slipped to 47 mpg somehow.
We had it up to 50 but that was hiway mileage.

It's cold and windy with a clear blue sky.
My project on the Lazy Daze is a stantion
for the rear ladder.
It was epoxied last night and I'll attempt to mount it next.

Michelle

haiku

2006-12-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

Gray rainy day
autumn leaves falling down
winter is near

—Michelle Ress

This is my first haiku in a long time.
Sent to my son Jason as a text message.
I added tinywords to my google homepage
and offered one haiku
for your consideration.

a new day, a new beginning

2006-12-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

It's been dry here for quite awhile but the barometer is dropping and rain is forcast. On the radio they were talking about a glorious sunrise. Of course we can't see the sunrise here in the canyon but it was nice to hear about it. What radio you might ask?
http://www.kgoam810.com/listenlive.asp the best radio station I've ever found. I listen to it much of the time on the internet. Thank goodness for high speed internet as it
allows you to tap into the vast resources out there.

I've also become quite fond of webcams and have World Webcams as an object on my google homepage and it's set to cycle every two minutes so that gives me a window on the world. I love them.

Michelle

link to Dr. Kevorkian petition

2006-11-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Pardon Dr. Kevorkian Petition

the cold of autumn

2006-11-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's so cold here, 42 in the bathroom and 38 outside. The living room is warm though.
The fall this year has been a sad one for us. First AmityAnn died and then within a month Terra passed away.

Thankfully we have Toby and Kona, our two remaining dachshunds with us.

Cathy & I are numb and just coasting at the moment enduring what life has thrown our way.

Michelle

2006-10-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

This still life is posted with a center layout. If you look carefully my reflection can be seen in the glass.
Michelle

A Valley of California Wildflowers

2006-10-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

2006-10-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

Cathy with our old Airstream which we sold to buy the Lazy Daze

2006-10-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

This is the repair of the roof opening where the TurboKool goes.

2006-10-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Top picture Michelle behind the wheel in Manteca, Ca just before attempting to drive our Lazy Daze home to Felton, CA about 105 miles. Middle picture is the roof seam repair in progress as it leaked after the first rain. Bottom picture is Lazy Daze photo with Cathy Smyre aka michscat

2006-10-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

This is Jim the pharmacist I work with from time to time as a technician at the Safeway in Santa Cruz.

October 11, 2006

2006-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, a tough while but the weather has been good. The Lazy Daze roof is about ready to be recalked. Tomorrow we should get started on that project. In the mean time AmityAnn has been keeping us from getting a good night sleep so most of our days have been exhausted days.

I'm having a problem with my right toe and bought a foot spa on line from smartbargains.com and it should be here any day now.

My chess has been improving lately and I'm making a run at 1600 after being down below
1500 briefly.

I'll post some pictures of the roof job as time permits and motivation allows.
Michelle

October7, 2006

2006-10-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

Have we been struggling with the leaky roof situation on the Lazy Daze. It was a major project to remove the swamp cooler from the roof and now we're not even confident that's where the leak is.

The entire roof looks like it needs to be resealed so we're going to look into that.
All else is well.
Michelle

First Rain of the Season

2006-10-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

The Morning Glories that Cathy planted out front presented us with their first flower today, a Heavenly Blue.

Today caught us unprepared for rain and it came but a light one. We scrambled to cover up things in the yard and bring other things in to keep them dry. It was only a sprinkle but a warning that we better get ready so tomorrow we will work on tarping the front and back porches, something we do each year to keep them dry.

We also need to buy a large drop cloth to cover the gazebo as the regular tarps are too heavy for the light frame, make it sag, then it catches water and collapses under the weight like it did last year.

This beautiful Nasturtium also shines with the first rain.

Photos by Cathy

Sunday Sept. 30, 2006

2006-09-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today was an interesting day as days go. We picked up a wheel chair for AmityAnn from Jason and Tami, two freecyclers on our local list. They also have Dachshunds, Max and Matty and they had a wheel chair that they didn't need.

Here is a picture of Jason helping AmityAnn into the wheel chair and adjusting the fittings and another of AmityAnn trying it on:

our dog family

2006-09-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Kona, our standard Dachshund

Terra our Dachshund/Terrier mix, the only one not a rescue
This is AmityAnn in one of her better days. She doesn't walk well anymore being blind and crippled but she does get in a few steps each day. AmityAnn passed away on Oct 18, 2006 just a few weeks after posting this picture. She died peacefully in the night. She was a month short of her 18th birthday.

Toby our youngster

Jason and Diana

2006-09-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Jason and Diana taken at the Safeway pharmacy in Santa Cruz, CA where I sometimes work.

The Prius

2006-09-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

This is our Prius and Greg Audino the salesman who sold it to us on June 18 at Toyota of Santa Cruz. We are totally stoked by this car and Greg is the great salesman who helped us buy it. We also bought our previous vehicle a 1997 Ford F150 from Greg several years earlier and it was a good truck too.

Having the Prius allowed us to travel to Manteca three times to buy the Lazy Daze and to be in comfort in the valley heat even when the Lazy Daze broke down on the freeway. It was a lifesaver. We were also able to charge up the Lazy Daze battery from the Prius when the alternator when out in Livermore and we spent the night in a Wendy's parking lot. That was our first sleep over in the Lazy Daze and it was fun in a tired out sort of way.

We finished the trip home the next morning gloriously taking highway 17 with no problem what so ever. Cathy and I kept in contact with our family service radios as she followed me home.

Lazy Daze

2006-09-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

We left the Lazy Daze at the shop Tuesday evening after a horrendous time at the DMV where we had to wait and wait again even though we had an appointment. After the DMV we went over to the BofA parking lot at 41st to meet a locksmith who quickly opened our two storage compartments and billed AAA. We got two keys. There are lots of goodies in the compartments.

We noticed some smoke in the exhaust on the trip back to Felton and sure enough this afternoon when I called to check on the progress of the smog certification the mechanic said there was a problem with one of the cylinders and they would need it tomorrow.

glad to be alive

2006-09-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had what must have been food poisoning though I don't have any idea what could have caused it but all of a sudden I was stricken with gas and cramps and was in distress for several hours. A few Tums and some peppermint tea and I went to bed and was comforted by Cathy and our pets who could really tell I was hurting. I'm so glad to be alive and well this morning.

On a brighter note, today is my son Jason's birthday. He is 36-years-old today and I'm mighty proud of him. Happy Birthday Jason!

2006-09-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

The bittersweet last moments of rest before the dawn are often the most fertile for dreams and in those moments the lucid memories of past souls who populate our existence manifest themselves the fullest making them all the more relevant in our involvement with life.

Smyress: September 2006

2006-09-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Smyress: September 2006

We took this picture today of Cathy posing with the Lazy Daze. That's the Prius in the car canopy. We wanted to get this picture so we could post it to the blog.
Michelle

2006-09-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Today we picked up a load of used bricks in the Prius. It was the first heavy load we carried and the car handled well. Then at the flea market in Felton at the church I bought a small microwave for five dollars and the fellow carried it to the car for me.

We were so hungry when we got home and there were some ripe tomatoes on the vine so we made up BLT's and were they good. Now I'm sitting here wondering where the finch is. The cat gave me that look when we got home and I'm hoping he didn't eat the last finch.

Next we have to unload the bricks. That should be some good exercise. We're going to use them
to continue bricking in the parking area in front of our house.

first post

2006-09-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Laine Lawless sent me her blog and it looked interesting so I decided to try one also.
I plan on using this blog to keep a record of our adventure with the Lazy Daze motor home that
Cathy & I recently puchased over in Manteca and brought home after quite an adventure.

This is how I looked last year with Sebastian on my lap and the now dead Thinkpad in front of me. My current computer is a Toshiba laptop that works really good. I also have a second monitor

Sebastian, the cat on my lap, reminds me of what is good about winter. You see Sebastian doesn't sleep on my lap in the summer time because it's too hot but in the winter we keep each other warm. Thank you Sebastian
I'll post a more current picture shortly.