Good Deals

This week we found a lot of ways to have fun on a budget, like hanging out at the Black Dog Cafe with a library book and a cup of coffee.

You can also play Scrabble at the Black Dog.

A walk around Lake Ella at sunset.

In the dusk, we saw the silhouette of this tiny bird, who was stalking prey on the shoreline. It was a least bittern. Maybe it was one of the little birds I saw last year.

Another thing we did this week was discover some unused Borders gift cards and rush off to the store for one last shopping spree.

And then we went to a movie at the two-dollar theater (Bridesmaids, and it was hilarious).

I also saved money this week by making my own light box, which I'm going to use to take pictures for my Etsy stores.

I haven't gotten the lighting exactly right yet, but here is a sample picture.

When Lizards Attack

It was a quiet afternoon at the Black Dog Cafe. David was contemplating his next Scrabble move ...


... when a lizard fell from the sky onto his chest, grabbed his shirt with its little feet, and ran across the Scrabble board.

While I was laughing at David's shock ...

... the lizard ran up and glared at me ...

... and then jumped onto my head, where he sat looking around defiantly.

Eventually he figured out that what he really should be climbing was the umbrella pole.

And he made it back to the safety of the treetops.

Thirty Minutes Later

About half an hour after I typed the last word in my dissertation draft, my parents arrived for a visit. They were met with a messy house and a sleep-deprived daughter, but also with beautiful warm weather and Florida sunshine.

We went out to the Black Dog Cafe to celebrate the visit and the end of the draft writing process.

This is me right after I mailed off the draft, feeling a huge sense of relief.

And feeling like having a few days of fun before the revisions begin.

The Green, Green Leaves of Home

Today was David's first day of classes, which means that the past two days have been a mad rush for both of us. After I dropped him off on campus this morning, I stopped to enjoy some green tea ...

... and some green trees.

The Black Dog Cafe

The Black Dog Cafe, a little coffeeshop beside Lake Ella, is our new Punce. They make a delicious chai.


It's a great place to sit under the trees and watch the parade of people, dogs, and ducks.