Been Having Fun

It’s been a good month. As most of you probably suspect, I am pleased with Kelly’s decision to put off moving out. I know it may be a temporary thing, until her work situation settles down, but it’s awful nice to have her close, and I am tickled pink that I get to be blessed in this way for while longer.

April brought with it several milestones. I turned 40 on the 14^th.  The 20^th was the first anniversary of meeting Kelly in person.  And on the 27^th I reached the 10 year mark at my current place of employment. At our next town hall I get a shadow box and $1000 to mark the occasion. The intent is that you spend the money on something fun, take a picture of yourself doing it, and then put the picture in the shadow box next to the big “10” on your desk.

I also acquired several fun toys. I got a new camera on my birthday, a few days later I purchased a Nintendo Wii, and then last weekend I bought myself an acoustic guitar.

So I suppose that explains where I’ve been this last little while. With so many new things to do, my free time has been soaked up enjoying all these new hobbies.

I have to say the guitar is where most of my time is spent. I am REALLY enjoying it. I’ve only had it a week, and I still suck, but I don’t care. That’s the beauty of it. I am doing this just for me. Good or bad doesn’t matter. I hit some strings and every now and then something that resembles music comes out. I had no idea how relaxing this would be. All I remember was being frustrated when I was kid, taking leasons and learning songs I didn’t know.

It’s surprising though how much I did actually remember from when I took lessons as a kid. The finger positions came back quickly; the ability to switch from one chord to the next came back fast. And with a little research and few you tube lessons, I am already playing parts of Pink Floyd and Eagles songs, and I’m going to try some Bob Seger next.

The camera has also been a source of endless fun. Two weeks ago, while Kelly spent some time at the office on a Saturday, I took the camera to Ojibway Park to see what I might be able to capture. Within minutes I spotted a man taking pictures of leaves. I looked and finally asked him what he was looking at. This is what I eventually saw.

 

Then I figured, hey, might as well try the zoom feature.

 

I little while later I spotted some deer. They were way off in the distance and I could barely make them out, but their white tails gave them away. I knew there was a trail that circled back that way, so I went all they away around (a 15 minute trek) and then spotted them again. There were five of them. Look hard you can see three in this picture:

 

I sat still long enough for them to get curious about me. One in particular seemed to want her picture taken.

 

Then today Kelly and I went back to Ojibway as it is now migration time. We saw too many birds for me to remember, but I only managed to get a few pictures, as warblers don’t tend to sit still very much. The nature center has some feeders out, so I got this Gold Finch as well as a white throated sparrow and a White crowned sparrow in the foreground.

 

Bailey is not quite as enthusiastic about the new camera as me.