Lopaka Lounge

Last night, Ray went to look in on Mama bird.  She wasn’t there.  The eggs were gone and the nest was disheveled.  I sort of had a feeling a nest just a foot off the ground was not a good idea.  It’s tragic but it’s nature. 

We have noticed that another bird had moved into one of the bird houses up in the mesquite tree.  It’s seems very happy.  We planted five mesquite trees in and around the backyard (I need some shade since the whole skin cancer thing).  When they get big enough,  I plan to put more bird houses around. 

I love the sound of chirping birds.  I’ll house them, I just wont feed them.  Around here, you can’t just feed that little cute ones.  If you put feeders around, you attract the whole food chain and the last thing I need is more snakes slithering through the backyard.

Ray planted a desert willow around the front.  It’s quite a break for us in the landscaping department.  We’re trying to keep everything looking natural outside of the courtyards.  You don’t exactly see desert willows around these parts.  It’s a fragrant, flowering tree that smells so good–especially after it rains.  We’re trying to pay attention to every detail for the “experience” of hanging out at Stolen Horseshoe.  There’s the sound of tinkly jazz music and water fountains, the sight of clouds, trees and mountain ranges, the feel of warm air and and a comfy pool and now the smell of the desert willow and desert rain. 

I’d suggest that we are almost finished with the landscaping and decorating but really, we’re never finished.  The inside and outside of our home is always evolving.

When monsoon hits and everything explodes with growth, I plan to do a “Better Homes & Gardens” style photo shoot.  Until then, Ray and I have some landscaping projects to do this morning.

The other day Ray and I were in the pool relaxing after a day of outdoor activities.  It was a warm sunny weekend and Barry White’s Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe was playing in the background. 

A pair of cute sing-songy birds landed on the wall.  It was funny to see how they were acting toward each other juxtaposed with Mr. White’s silky smooth voice.  These birds were obviously smitten with each other.

My darling, I can’t get enough of your love babe
Yeah, I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know why
Can’t get enough of your love babe

Just then, one of the birds popped up in the air and flew right into the rosemary bush by the pool–floomp!  The other one just sat on the wall singing along in accompaniment with Mr. White.  Ray and I shot a look at each other and then suddenly both birds flew away. 

I got out of the pool to see what was going on in the rosemary bush.  To my surprise, there was a teeny tiny nest with three little eggs in it.  Looks like the birds felt that Stolen Horseshoe was the ideal place to start a family.  Ray and I were thrilled about this.  There is nothing more pleasant than the sound of little birds chirping.

Now, I’m not an expert on birds but I think we may be close to hatching because Mama bird tends to stay around a lot.  She just sits quietly in her nest.  I check in on her occasionally.  I don’t want to disturb her too much.  She silently agreed to let me get a photo.

I guess the one thing that Ray and I appreciate about living here is the fact that nature just happens right in our own backyard.  We wake up in the morning and see cute little bunnies hopping around the courtyard.  Every once in a while a lone snake will slither on by.  One time, we had a snake of the Rattler persuasion pass through while we were sitting on the patio having cocktails.  While it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, I just prefer to let the snake go on its way.  Some of our friends kill the Rattlers.  We figure with all the activity that goes on in our backyard, a snake is not going to settle down and make a home.

Of course if there are tasty eggs in a nest that is only about a foot off the ground…

The best is when the rabbits have their babies and you see teeny little bunnies hopping around.  They are so cute!  I’ll be sure to get a photo this year.  In the mean time, we’re just going to wait for Mama bird to hatch her babies and then enjoy the little chorus of chirps until the season ends and they all fly away.

I’m going to run after work today. Its part of my new, new, new workout plan.  You see, lifting heavy weights and eating a lot just made me fat.  I figure I’ve gained some new muscle and a little bit of definition but alas, it’s covered under a layer of blubber.  People laugh at the prospect of me doing this.  They say, “But you’re so skinny!”

I’m not skinny.

I’m tall, and I weigh 196 pounds (Oops, I mean 194.  I dropped 2 lbs this week.)   I’m also giving up on trying to become a BMMS (Big Massive Muscle Stud).  It’s too fucking hard.

I have been doing this for almost 18 months and I just don’t see enough happening.  Sure, I started slowly and had a few short periods of not working out with regularity but for the most part I’ve been making a solid effort without seeing good results.  In all honesty, I should have done this when I was twenty.

Oh now don’t get me wrong.  I’m still going to keep trying.  I’m just giving up on the grandiose expectations.  I really thought I’d build up fast—at least I was hoping I would.  I hate being lanky.  Can’t I just be hunky?  Maybe a little bit of both?  Lunky?

Anyway, I figure if I run, I’ll drop a few pounds and the little bit I’ve gained in muscle just might pop out.  My body has always been devoid of shape.  I never had Chest, Back and Shoulders…it was more like a trunk.  The circumference around my wrist never varied much away from the size of my upper arm.  My back has always seemed to slide right into my legs without the slightest consideration for having what the ladies in the office refer to as a “Beef Butt”.

I have no butt.

On the upside, my nipples no longer jiggle gleefully to and fro when I brush my teeth, my arms almost fill up my sleeves and some of my shirts are getting tight across the chest and shoulders.  I’m bigger, that’s for sure but there’s no “cleavage” in the chestal area.  The circumference in my upper arms is most certainly bigger than my wrists and if I stand a certain way and turn just a little bit…and cock my head to the left…there’s a slight hint of a butt.  It’s no beef butt.  It’s more like a veggie burger butt.  Perhaps running will firm that up…