hope ya catch a BIG one, TK !! being out in nature is soothing to the soul, as long as you're protected from sunburn and bug bites. here's wishing you have a great time.

Frank, thinkin' 'bout ya, and hopin' your day today is less MSssy.

Von, tapetty tap TAP, darn it!

barb, did you have any flooding problems?

NaeNae, glad ya liked da new pix.

* * * * * * * *

my update: omg, I had to DRIVE home from market this morning at 7 am.

we ran into a police checkpoint, manned by the ARMY, with big ol' scary GUNS...

they checked everything, insurance, registration, license, and guess what?

mi esposo's Belizean driving license was EXPIRED, even though he just got it last November !!!

different rules here, it was his birthday last week, and... POOF !!

that'll teach us to pay attention to the fine print, eh?

so... they gave us a choice, immediate arrest, and go straight to court right then.

or... the guy asked, "Do YOU have a license?"

"Yes, but I don't have it with me... it's at home."

(I didn't mention that MY license expired YEARS ago... ooops!)

the officer said *I* could drive us back to our farm, deliver our truck-bed full of cabbage, feed all the animals, and THEN deal with it afterwards, by mi esposo taking the BUS back down the highway to the police checkpoint.

arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh !!!!!!!

I haven't been behind the wheel since 2004.

and haven't driven a STICK for over a DECADE...



now picture this, a FUNKY 30 year old diesel farm truck, held together with duct tape and miscellaneous mismatched parts, flaking paint, and all rusty and stank.

the gear-shift stick is WOBBLY, and the steering's LOOSE as a GOOSE !!!!!

oh, and the foot pedals are smooth slippery METAL, the covers having LONG ago fallen off.... and the seat wouldn't adjust forward (I'm 5'2" hubby is nearly 6')

and the mirrors are all blurry from age.



okay, I'm calm now... we do what we have to, and I rose to the occasion magnificently.

my shifting and clutching was smooth, and I actually kept the old rattletrap truck safely on the road, and made it home A-OK !!

although I'm SHAKING now, like a leaf.

oh, and NOW I remember why I quit driving.