Anniversary Adventure

A few months ago, I bought "Super Hubby" concert tickets for our anniversary. It was not without a few moments of hesitation on my part. S.H. is almost 10 years younger than I, so to say we have different tastes in music, would be an understatement!

Plus, it was for the band "Creed". They were very popular around 1996, when I was raising two toddlers and the not yet "Super Hubby" was in high school. (I try not to dwell on that, it's creepy) LOL. This band's music was popular at an important time in his life. I actually don't remember much of 1996, except for diapers and potty training.

We won't even get into the fact that this Pagan Chicky was going to a Christian concert. They are not blatantly in your face Christian musicians but still, a slight moment of discomfort. :-)

So, we go to the show and I had gotten great seats for us. First row, middle balcony, and if you have ever been to The King Center, in Melbourne, you know it's a great view.

We settle in and watch the opening band, "Like A Storm". They are LOUD, but really good, a cross between old punk and the newer rock music. I enjoyed them. Two songs in particular were really good, "Slave To you" and "Just Save Me". I bought the CD, in the lobby, during the set break. They were out there, signing the CD's and they seemed like great guys.

The second group, "Eve To Adam", a very Christian band, but by some strange twist of fate, has almost the same name as a San Francisco cross-dressing service, was not my kind of music. They did do a great cover of "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol. Which by the way S.H. did not know....WTH? :-)

All this time, there is no one sitting to my right. "Creed" gets on the stage and WOW! Scott Stapp sounds exactly like he does on the radio, an amazing voice! I don't know the first song but it's great. I am really enjoying myself, but then... here comes trouble.

When the young man first sat next to me, I didn't mind, in fact I thought to myself, he only missed half of the first song, not bad timing. He starts to try and get something out of his pants pocket and ends up elbowing me in the chest. It hurt. He says nothing, just continues to get whatever he was getting. I say nothing but I roll my eyes at S.H., because he knows what I am thinking....

Since becoming a police officer, I do not enjoy crowds anymore. It's mostly because I get aggravated by rude people much quicker then I used to. "Creed" finishes the song and the guy takes off his shirt, and I notice a huge tattoo on his arm that says "RUDE" ( no kidding)  and he starts twirling his shirt in the air and guess what? It hits me in the face...twice. On the third pass, I cannot help myself, I grab it! He looks at me like I am crazy, and I look right back at him. He pulls the shirt out of my hands and puts it in his lap. S.H. smiles at me and we go back to watching the show.

Two songs later, "Mr Rude" is slumped over in his seat. I lean over and try to see if he is breathing. He did not smell like he had been smoking pot or drinking, so now I am concerned about a possible drug over dose. I see his chest rise and I give S.H. a thumbs up, so he knows the guy is breathing. S.H. is also a police officer and we both know, if this guy dies, the headline of Florida Today, would be..."Man dies at concert, while sitting next to two Police Officers".

We spend the next two hours, rocking out and checking on the guy. At one point, I even reached over and took his pulse, just in case. The show ends and the guy's friends kick him awake and he stumbles out after them. Not once, did one of these so called friends check on him during the show.

We watch him get into the backseat of a car (Thank all The God's, he wasn't driving) and we head to our car. Only to find a drunk guy pissing on a tree, in front of our car.....by this time, I am over it, I pass by him and say "You should be embarrassed.... to take that pathetic thing out in public" and we leave.

It may be a while before we go to any more concerts but it certainly was not a dull evening.

41 Things to do before 41!

As usual, on my birthday, I make a list of things I want to do before my next birthday. Here is the to-do list before I hit 41!!!! They are in no particular order and 13 are from last years list, that I didn't get to before today.

1. Learn Archery
2. See Buddha the turtle get released back into the wild
3. Go to the rodeo
4. Get a tattoo
5. Build an aquaponics system  in the house
6. Have a garage sale and empty the garage
7. Lose 10 lbs
8. Go to Sanibel Island
9. Pagan Food Drive for :The Women’s Center”
10. Run a 5K
11. Grow more heirloom seeds or unusual foods
12. Take a belly dancing class
13. Go rafting or tubing in North Florida
14. Go to FPG
15.  Learn to use a sewing machine
16. Go to Cassadaga
17. Go on a Haunted Ghost Tour
18. Build a spiral herb garden
19. Get Reiki attunement level 3 
20. Go see The Molly Roger Roller Girl
21. Visit Mt Dora
22. Go see Classic Albums Live
23. Visit the Dali Museum  in St. Pete
24. Teach Reiki level 1
25. Make a fire pit in backyard
26. Re-do garden Altar
27. Fight HOA about chickens!
28. Visit land in S.C.
29. See an ADF Ritual
30. Present Workshop on Pagans to Police Academy
31. Visit Morikami Gardens
32. Get DNA done
33. Go to Jacksonville Pagan Pride Day
34. Go Vegan for a month
35. Learn Fencing
36. Learn to make hpyertufa pots
37. Put in application for C.O.G.
38. Start a garden project with the kids from PAL and BCC Environmental club
39. Buy a pair of cowboy boots
40. Get a drum and learn to drum
41. Volunteer

All in a Day's Work - Super Sea Turtle Edition!

Yesterday started out just like every other day of work.... Shift meeting, a stop for my bagel and coffee, off to the park to watch the sunrise. (The Pagan in me loves that I get to greet the sun every morning!)

I was talking to another Officer about the arrest we had made the day before when we hear radio traffic from the Sheriff's Office helicopter, that it appears a swimmer is struggling in the river. Assistance is needed.

Our department has a police boat and we have an officer that is the marine unit, so he gets on the radio and says he is on his way to get the boat in the water and he needs help. I jump at the chance! The boat operator is my friend and dive buddy.

I get to the marina and we hear the helicopter on the radio saying it is not a person, it's a turtle!! We drop the boat, jump on and head out.

As we get closer, we hear the copter and can see the turtle.

He is struggling. We see he can't dive, but he is not caught up in anything. We back the boat off a bit, because if we stress him out and he can't dive, he could drown. I shot this video while we waited for another officer to arrive.

We called the great people at Sea Turtle Preservation Society and they told us if we could get it to land they would meet us. They explained it must have a crack in it's shell and air is trapped inside. This causes a bubble, that prevents them from diving.


A Sgt. from the Sheriff's Office arrives and we attempt to get this poor turtle in the boat! We take turns driving the boat closer and two of us try and grab him. He is super slimey! LOL. He has algae and barnacles growing on his shell. We get soaked! On the 4th try we get him on the boat.

 

It is only then do I realize how big he is!We estimate him to be about 250 lbs.

We get him to land and we try to carry him in a tarp to the truck, but that was not working. The STPS people say he is a deep sea turtle and for him to be in the river is unusual. The Indian River is a mix of salt and fresh water that runs into the Atlantic Ocean.

So the three of us just all grabbed a spot of the shell and put him in the back of the truck for his ride to Orlando. Where Sea World said they would take him in and fix his shell.

Here is his ride! LOL, If you are local, check them out, they have lots of volunteer opportunities! The lady from The STPS says that since I caught him, I get to name him...so I decided since he was big, round and calm, I would name him Buddha.

 

 I peek in on Buddha one more time before he leaves so I can put a wet towel on him for the ride. I tell him it was awesome to meet him and to get better soon, The STPS takes my phone number so they can call me when he is ready to be released back into the ocean and they said I can come along!

All in a Days Work - A Visit and a Gift!

Last Friday at work, I was sitting in the park, typing a report, when I see a tortoise walking at full speed straight toward my patrol car. He went under my car and was hanging out.....

 I got out, took some pictures, thanked him for posing (LOL) and waited for him to go on his way...... 

Well, yesterday, I was in the same park, doing a patrol of the area, due to some small brush fires. I see a tortoise on the path that I am driving on, so I slow down, pull over and grab my camera for some pictures.

I follow him a bit, taking more pictures and the Torty stops....I wait, and wait, and wait! Finally, I go in front of him to see if he is caught on anything and I see this.

You can't tell by my picture but this is a small feather. Most Blue Jay feathers are large, at least around here. I thank the Torty and take the feather.

Later tonight, I am looking at all my pictures I have taken of tortoises in the last few weeks. I look at last Friday's and today's....I think it was the same Torty, who hung out under my car and then showed me the feather! Here are side by side pictures, what do you think?

Friday

Today