I don’t remember the last time we went an entire week with daily highs above the freezing mark. This week it just might happen. Monday was nice, snowed last night just a bit and today will be close to 32 degrees…we are hoping that this is a change in the jet stream….if those lovely Canadians (no offense) would just keep their arctic air those of us in the plains states would be much much happier. Don’t get me wrong…in comparison to those in other winters we plains states folks have pretty mild winters but when not used to it. It SUCKS!!!!
Second thing is business. I am slowly doing well, have talked with an attorney and now need to speak with my accountant …. Fill out the proper forms and submit. Then off for some business cards. I have the logo as I said before and will have in hand some shirts and hats this week. Rob is getting excited.
This trip will be about introducing the name in the market. Will not be max exposure since we are headed to the island about 6 months too early but we shall see. This will be a sample tour for logo wear but will be a gathering tour for photos that will make up the beginning of the second part of my business. Intent here is to make some reasonable photo work in calendars and the likes as well as the opportunity for customers to purchase photos in more of an art form. Imagine yourself shooting a picture you love and then having it mounted on canvas like a painting.. My goal is to have a product that will touch those who love the islands with something everyone can afford.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Awesome but COLD
Last night we watched the total lunar eclipse. It was incredible, we took our DSLR outside with a 300mm lens and a starlight filter and got some nice pix. I did finally thaw enough to pull out a couple of pix and to put them here for you to view.....wooo hooo!!!
The temp last night was in the single digits and a bit windy too….We (eldest son and I) froze! The experience however was worth it. Want to also thank my youngest son for if it were not for his lens donation the pix above would not have been possible. we shot a couple of shots at 75mm and you could hardly even tell it was the moon. So thanks for the loan of the lens Andrew.
This morning we woke to sleet falling and a whopping 14 degree temperature. I think I wrote in a previous post. I hate winter. That opinion certainly hasn't changed.
It hasn’t been bone chilling cold this winter but we have been stuck between 5 and 35 degrees for months. Typically KC winters have a couple of weeks of break where we see the 50s and 60s. I think we have had maybe 2 or 3 days in 2008 that have gotten that warm. KC is getting pretty grouchy. There are lots of places with much worse winters than what we have but we simply are not used to this.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A New Venture
I have decided to start my own company. I will be selling logo wear and some photography works. Have the logo picked out and going to the seamstress today.
This will allow me to bring some hats and shirts to the islands to display.
I am working on things like my LLC license, copyright of logo and hooking up with the photo reproduction folks. I already have purchased the website name and will now be running two sites, one for fun and one hopefully for profit.
Currently I have the logo developed and am working on other ideas for t-shirts but at this point no screen printer so that is temporarily on hold .
I will announce the site name and some merchandise soon, have to get everything set up first.
Getting much closer in our trip planning, we have a general agenda set and will meet with some friends that just got back from a week in SXM yesterday. We are excited to see what they were up to while there. Found a nice dress for CB to wear on the evening of our anniversary, summer stuff is starting to show up on racks at some of the stores and happened to luck into this little dress. Was something that is nice but can be machine washed and easily tossed on after a day at the beach.
Honestly I think we are about as prepared as can possibly be now. Need suntan lotion and to tan a bit then load ourselves on to our ever changing flight schedule and head to the islands. I use ever changing because we have been scheduled for three different flights from KC to DFW and I just noticed that they moved our seats around on our leg home from the island. We had all seats at the front of the plane now on the way home we have been moved to the back….grrrrrr and our original seats have already been filled.
Oh well we still have the flight so I can certainly deal with being in the back rather than the front.
This will allow me to bring some hats and shirts to the islands to display.
I am working on things like my LLC license, copyright of logo and hooking up with the photo reproduction folks. I already have purchased the website name and will now be running two sites, one for fun and one hopefully for profit.
Currently I have the logo developed and am working on other ideas for t-shirts but at this point no screen printer so that is temporarily on hold .
I will announce the site name and some merchandise soon, have to get everything set up first.
Getting much closer in our trip planning, we have a general agenda set and will meet with some friends that just got back from a week in SXM yesterday. We are excited to see what they were up to while there. Found a nice dress for CB to wear on the evening of our anniversary, summer stuff is starting to show up on racks at some of the stores and happened to luck into this little dress. Was something that is nice but can be machine washed and easily tossed on after a day at the beach.
Honestly I think we are about as prepared as can possibly be now. Need suntan lotion and to tan a bit then load ourselves on to our ever changing flight schedule and head to the islands. I use ever changing because we have been scheduled for three different flights from KC to DFW and I just noticed that they moved our seats around on our leg home from the island. We had all seats at the front of the plane now on the way home we have been moved to the back….grrrrrr and our original seats have already been filled.
Oh well we still have the flight so I can certainly deal with being in the back rather than the front.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Let the purchasing begin!
First thing was PhotoShop Pro for my laptop. Rob has yet another toy to play with. Last night I learned how to place a logo on pictures. Was fun and there will be much more to learn.
Have swung into a new mindset, every time we go shopping my mantra is….buy what we need and anything else we spend will be for the trip ie a trip to Sam’s club….wife picked up a paperback book that she plans to read and leave on island. She will easily read 5 books while on island and probably more. Me on the other hand, I will bring 2 one is a hard back that one of my sons gave me that I have been saving and another paperback that can be left with no heart burn. The hardback is a Pirate story….for those that know me …. Go figure!!! When not relaxing I will have camera in hand and be shooting the natural beauty of the islands.
Starting to gather travel sized toiletries. We like having those in our carry on just in case our luggage doesn’t make it with us the first night.
Suntan lotion is the only thing we will hassle with. We have found that once we get out of the shower and dry off we will lather up with lotion and then bring the continuous spray canisters with us to the beach to re apply. We did this last visit and the continuous spray was very nice. Didn’t have to worry about dragging those little bits of sand all over you while re applying the lotion. I have found out that they now carry continuous sprays on SXM. We just have to have enough to get thru our days on Anguilla first.
We have made the decision that since we will dive a bit that we will not do our regular carry on only and will ship a bag underneath. I think it will be one big bag, mostly for our fins and a carry on suitcase along with our backpacks.
There is a pile started in the corner of our bedroom for stuff that we know we are going to bring. So far it is just books and toiletries but if we don’t start seeing warmer weather around here soon, we may start including clothing that we wont get to wear till we get there.
We have some friends that are on island now and they are checking on a photographer for us. I have some ideas that I will need to run by the photog as well as setting a price and time but really am still looking forward to an opportunity to have some portraits shot of us.
Have swung into a new mindset, every time we go shopping my mantra is….buy what we need and anything else we spend will be for the trip ie a trip to Sam’s club….wife picked up a paperback book that she plans to read and leave on island. She will easily read 5 books while on island and probably more. Me on the other hand, I will bring 2 one is a hard back that one of my sons gave me that I have been saving and another paperback that can be left with no heart burn. The hardback is a Pirate story….for those that know me …. Go figure!!! When not relaxing I will have camera in hand and be shooting the natural beauty of the islands.
Starting to gather travel sized toiletries. We like having those in our carry on just in case our luggage doesn’t make it with us the first night.
Suntan lotion is the only thing we will hassle with. We have found that once we get out of the shower and dry off we will lather up with lotion and then bring the continuous spray canisters with us to the beach to re apply. We did this last visit and the continuous spray was very nice. Didn’t have to worry about dragging those little bits of sand all over you while re applying the lotion. I have found out that they now carry continuous sprays on SXM. We just have to have enough to get thru our days on Anguilla first.
We have made the decision that since we will dive a bit that we will not do our regular carry on only and will ship a bag underneath. I think it will be one big bag, mostly for our fins and a carry on suitcase along with our backpacks.
There is a pile started in the corner of our bedroom for stuff that we know we are going to bring. So far it is just books and toiletries but if we don’t start seeing warmer weather around here soon, we may start including clothing that we wont get to wear till we get there.
We have some friends that are on island now and they are checking on a photographer for us. I have some ideas that I will need to run by the photog as well as setting a price and time but really am still looking forward to an opportunity to have some portraits shot of us.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Nailing down vacation plans with the CB
I’ve been working with CB over the last several weekends to start real plans of what we are interested in doing while on islands.
We start with a must list.
Must Do #1 CB and I are certified divers but it has been a couple of years since CB has “gotten wet”. This trip we will dive! Ok cool, now which day(s)? Our buddy’s girlfriend is certified too and he has graciously gone along with the idea of doing a resort dive to see if he likes it. I told him that we are going to dive Anguilla as I was not overly impressed with diving off of SXM the last time I went. No problem they planned to day trip to AXA so that being said…they were in. Some e-mail fired back and forth between frozen KC and Anguilla and we are all set for a Saturday of diving. CB and I will do a couple of morning dives and our friends will join us for a later dive that day. Must do #1 is now out of the way.
Must Do #2 This is a must for Rob only I think so may move down to the would like to do list soon. We have not had pix shot of the two of us professionally in 25 years. It is time to have some more done. Rob has talked CB into trying on her wedding dress and after viewing a photo shoot of another couple that did a trash the dress shoot I think CD has bought into the idea. First things first….try on the dress. Oops, bodies change thru the years. Before anyone jumps to conclusions here. CB several years ago dabbled in body building for a few years while we lived in Hawaii in the 80s and has kept the general physique ever since. So needless to say the top part of the dress where she is certainly more muscled today than a quarter century ago wont zip all the way up. We are still however thinking of possibly having some alterations done to the dress….maybe incorporate some lacing in the back and some sleeve altering too. So idea isn’t lost yet but put temporarily on hold. Still thinking of pictures and have a friend that is leaving for the island this weekend that said he would check out a photographer for us.
Like to do’s
Explore Anguilla more than we have in the past. This year we will rent a car and putter.
Visit Baie Rouge with friends. We like to walk the entire beach. The west end is incredible but want someone there with us to watch our stuff. Have 4 days with friends and are hoping to get this in one day.
Go up to Fort ST Louis again in Marigot …again with friends.
Visit Orient and Cay Verte.. this is with and or without friends so no problem there.
Visit our friend Sean at Peg Leg on a few occasions…this will again be no
Problem.
We will visit several other beaches, I know we will hit Cupecoy and Friars as well as Happy, will try to squeeze in Pinel too.
Will have dinner with two other couples on Thursday April 24th. We are all celebrating our anniversary that week so it should be fun for all.
Plan looks like this…..
Leave KC to Dallas on evening of 15th. Have dinner with a friend there
Early flight 16th to Miami and on to SXM. Catch cab, ferry and cab to hotel in Anguilla
17th….lime the day away
18th Island tour of Anguilla
19th check out, dive Anguilla and check in in SXM
20th grocery store and beach with friends
21st Day at Orient
22nd visit Marigot and fort catch afternoon at Friars and Happy
23rd take friends to airport and relax at beach….anniversary dinner!!!
24th beach day and dinner with other friends
25th catch up on anything we may have missed
26th fly home…early flights that day
So it looks as if our plate will be pretty full from start of the trip until our friends leave on Wednesday the 23rd then only thing we will have left is a dinner out and hopefully a photo shoot.
By the way, we are in the islands MON so this plan can and will change for sure!!
We start with a must list.
Must Do #1 CB and I are certified divers but it has been a couple of years since CB has “gotten wet”. This trip we will dive! Ok cool, now which day(s)? Our buddy’s girlfriend is certified too and he has graciously gone along with the idea of doing a resort dive to see if he likes it. I told him that we are going to dive Anguilla as I was not overly impressed with diving off of SXM the last time I went. No problem they planned to day trip to AXA so that being said…they were in. Some e-mail fired back and forth between frozen KC and Anguilla and we are all set for a Saturday of diving. CB and I will do a couple of morning dives and our friends will join us for a later dive that day. Must do #1 is now out of the way.
Must Do #2 This is a must for Rob only I think so may move down to the would like to do list soon. We have not had pix shot of the two of us professionally in 25 years. It is time to have some more done. Rob has talked CB into trying on her wedding dress and after viewing a photo shoot of another couple that did a trash the dress shoot I think CD has bought into the idea. First things first….try on the dress. Oops, bodies change thru the years. Before anyone jumps to conclusions here. CB several years ago dabbled in body building for a few years while we lived in Hawaii in the 80s and has kept the general physique ever since. So needless to say the top part of the dress where she is certainly more muscled today than a quarter century ago wont zip all the way up. We are still however thinking of possibly having some alterations done to the dress….maybe incorporate some lacing in the back and some sleeve altering too. So idea isn’t lost yet but put temporarily on hold. Still thinking of pictures and have a friend that is leaving for the island this weekend that said he would check out a photographer for us.
Like to do’s
Explore Anguilla more than we have in the past. This year we will rent a car and putter.
Visit Baie Rouge with friends. We like to walk the entire beach. The west end is incredible but want someone there with us to watch our stuff. Have 4 days with friends and are hoping to get this in one day.
Go up to Fort ST Louis again in Marigot …again with friends.
Visit Orient and Cay Verte.. this is with and or without friends so no problem there.
Visit our friend Sean at Peg Leg on a few occasions…this will again be no
Problem.
We will visit several other beaches, I know we will hit Cupecoy and Friars as well as Happy, will try to squeeze in Pinel too.
Will have dinner with two other couples on Thursday April 24th. We are all celebrating our anniversary that week so it should be fun for all.
Plan looks like this…..
Leave KC to Dallas on evening of 15th. Have dinner with a friend there
Early flight 16th to Miami and on to SXM. Catch cab, ferry and cab to hotel in Anguilla
17th….lime the day away
18th Island tour of Anguilla
19th check out, dive Anguilla and check in in SXM
20th grocery store and beach with friends
21st Day at Orient
22nd visit Marigot and fort catch afternoon at Friars and Happy
23rd take friends to airport and relax at beach….anniversary dinner!!!
24th beach day and dinner with other friends
25th catch up on anything we may have missed
26th fly home…early flights that day
So it looks as if our plate will be pretty full from start of the trip until our friends leave on Wednesday the 23rd then only thing we will have left is a dinner out and hopefully a photo shoot.
By the way, we are in the islands MON so this plan can and will change for sure!!
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