I'm sitting on the lanai, Martini in hand, reading DU in perfect weather

[Rabrrrrrr]

does it get any better than this?

Other than, perhaps, having Natalie Portman and Kiersten Dunst here doing a long, slow, shower together.

But seriously, this is what life is about - sitting back, enjoying, looking out at God's great world, and forgetting the doldrums and the pains of the week and simploy relaxing and being and, in my case, listening to the frogs in the marsh and the birds singing and the crickets, on a perfectly lazy Friday afternoon after having lunch with a good friend and then seeing Star Wars III together.

Ah, today is a day that I *lived*!

[Left Is Write]

1. ...

:)

I'll raise my glass of Riesling to you.

I've had a good day too, and my daughter graduates from high school on Monday. I've been looking at her with new eyes this afternoon.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Mmmm....Riesling! My second favorite wine

And congrats on your daughter!

I just recently crossed the threshhold of being old enough to have a child graduating high school, meaning I'm now old enough (two years ago) that graduating seniors were not yet born when I graduated from high school...

Egads! I'm old!!

But these are the best years, yes they are!

[Left Is Write]

7. If you're old, so am I.

I graduated from high school in 1984. My daughter was born in 1987.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. I graduated 84, too!

:woohoo:

Remember Michael J. Fox in "Class of '84"?

[Left Is Write]

13. I missed that one.

I love all my old 80s teen movies, but my favorite teen movie came out when I was well into my twenties: "Dazed And Confused."

[hfojvt]

27. you youngsters and birds pipe down

I was supposed to graduate from college in 1984.

Here in KC it is kinda too hot to be outside. Plus I do not have wireless technology and do not care for bird "song". If birds can sing, then I am Pavoratti. One to three notes repeated ad infinitum at octuple forte doth not a song make. I would rather listen to cicadas, although I laughed at the Far Side Cartoon that showed Noah's ark with writing on the roof that said "tell the cicadas to shut up."

[LiviaOlivia]

3. And here I sit watching a spring rain storm,

with a nice Cabernet, dreaming of dead movie stars.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. dreaming of ones already dead, or ones you want dead?

though I suppose if it were ones you want dead, you would say "envisioning dead movie stars", but still, one needs to ask just to be clear on these things.

Which movie stars?

I've really been missing Orson Welles lately. Perhaps I'm being so reminded of him because of that blasphemous War of the Worlds movie coming out. I'm not sure. But I wish he were still here, and I wish studios were still willing to part money to let directors/writers/actors make films of art.

And whenever I think of "dead movie stars", a few others that come to mind that I really miss are Bogie, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, John Candy, Bette Davis, Joanne(?) Warwick, and Hitchcock (even though he isn't an actor).

[LiviaOlivia]

6. I been on Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger binge

Roger Livesey and Anton Walbrook specifically. Damn they are(were) good.

'I Know Where I'm Going and 'The Life and Times Of Colonel Blimp'

[MuseRider]

5. Ahhhh Rabrrrrrr

that sounds perfect! I am not quite there yet but will be in a short time. This time of year is perfect for that. I can't wait to have my own lanai overlooking my big pond. Not yet, not yet, but maybe by the end of next summer. Enjoy.

[Bouncy Ball]

8. Frogs in the marsh?

I'm very confused. I thought I knew where you lived. But I must have been mistaken.

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. technically, no one knows where I live

But you'd be surprised at the number of wildlife areas in Manhattan, especially in the Inwood area at the tip of the island. Manhattan has eagles and hawks and frogs and all sorts of animals, along with the obligatory pigeons, rats, cockroaches, and mice.

[Bouncy Ball]

11. My head exploded.

I was told it was nothing but concrete and Central Park.

Just kidding!

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. to say nothing of the brooklyn botanical gardens

wondrous!

and there's also a wonderful garden/park on top of a building, private access only, on 96 or 97 street and Broadway that I love to go to. Very restful up there.

[Bouncy Ball]

14. I like the rooftop gardens and terraces.

I want to own an eight-story building in Manhattan that's preferably an historic site with a beautiful rooftop garden.

Can't be too expensive, right?

Oh I crack myself up too much. Saving my pennies!

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. You only like them because you have aspirations of being a sniper

I know you!

:silly:

I couldn't imagine an 8 story building with a garden/terrace in Manhattan would cost you much more than about $500,000, esp. if you go into a historic site. Real estate is practically free there.

[Bouncy Ball]

24. I tried to tell the old man that.

He didn't believe me.

[kwassa]

15. Someone left my cake out in the rain

but the rain has stopped,

and I just finished MY martini.

The only lanai I have been in has been in Hawaii, however. Manhattan?

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. I am kama'aina, so wherever I am, my patio is a lanai

And since you finished your Martini, you should have another!

Here, let me make one for you....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. None of you are OLD! my dear Rabrrrrrr!

You graduated from high school in 1984? So did my oldest daughter! This makes you approximately *um* 38 years old...NOT OLD...Try being 61 years old, lol!

But where you are right now sounds wonderful...perfect...lucky you...Yes, I would say, you have *lived* today...

I like the following about living life:

"Look to this day, for it is life.
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all
The realities and verities of existence,
The bliss of growth
The splendor of action
The glory of power--
For yesterday is but a dream.
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day."

This is a Sanskrit proverb...

[Scout1071]

18. I'm sitting at my tiki bar using wifi (love it!) and waiting on friends

to arrive.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. I love wifi! Take your laptop anywhere.... it's the best!

Tiki bar's not quite my style, but what the hell - enjoy it! Looks like a nice space you have (if that's yours). I would like to get some torches for my lanai. Tres cool.

[Scout1071]

21. How could the tiki not be your style? It's just pure fun.

And thanks for the compliment. That's my apartment.

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. It's just something about plastic wicker/palm frond/whatever

that I don't like. And even if it were woven from real stuff, there's still just something about things woven from plant material (even indian baskets, etc.) that has always given me the willies. I have no idea why. I probably cut myself or something on one of my mom's baskets as a kid. Who knows? But I can't stand it.

But it's not an issue of not being my style because it's ignorant or tacky (though there is a certain lack of style and panache in the ones made of plastic). It's just a weird psychological reaction against plant woven stuff.

Have you tried the citronella torch oil? My sister uses it in her backyard torches, and it's great!

[Scout1071]

23. You'll be relieved to know that there is no wicker involved

in the above tiki bar or anywhere in the yard. I'm not a big fan of wicker either - I've always thought - who sits down in wicker and goes "aaahhh....the comfort of wicker." It's totally uncomfortable.

My Stepdad and I made the bar last summer. All of the wood was recycled Redwood that was formerly one of the decks in the house I grew up in and the bamboo is actually an old rolling shade from the rec room of our house in the 70's! It's kind of special to me when I look at it because it makes me think of my childhood and that house.

Other than that, all the palms, hibiscus, etc are 100% real.

And yes, that is definitely cintronella torch oil in there. We still have to use spray in the summer, but I do think the cintronella oil helps.

[Rabrrrrrr]

25. Whew! That's good to know!

My first thought when you said "tiki bar" was some tacky faux-hawaiian godawful monstrosity, like this:



or this:



Your Tiki bar looks NICE! It's tiki-ish, but without the campyness. IT's also nice without the giant hay umbrella over the bar.

[Scout1071]

26. Thanks! Here's a closer pic:

[Rabrrrrrr]

28. Yes, quite nice! But - please - let me make one criticism

Okay, blended daiquiris - it's not how they're supposed to be made, but, hell, I've had 'em, and they are tasty. I can live, tenuously, but I can live, with that...but...you're serving them in plastic red cups?! TO GUESTS?!?!

Also, it appears you've made a big batch, and just let the stuff sit in the blender to melt and get unmixed while you sip the ones you poured out already.

But, anyway....

I love the bar! And it looks small enough that you can pop it into storage when need be without needing a crane and/or back surgery. I especially love the mask on the front.

Now, what are the two wooden things on top? They're just a touch too small in the picture to figure out what they are. I'd almost say Polynesian fertility totems, but I have a feeling they are more practical than that - lamps?

[Scout1071]

29. Good observation. I should have noted that I was participating

in a kind of apartment homes tour. Every year my complex has a day where people can sign up, open their yards to all the neighbors and show off their gardens. It's also a contest with cash prizes and gift certificates. People don't linger all that long and there are mystery judges traveling around as well. Sooo, I provided all who entered with a small daquiri to go....as well as the island music of Buffet, etc.

I'd like to note that I won the category of "Most Creative," one of three total prizes awarded.

I'm going all out this year. I have some stiff competition. The 2 yards that finished ahead of me belonged to a 60ish, retired woman who has lived in the complex for 20 years and the other belonged to a lovely male couple who have lived here for 12 years. Stiff competition indeed considering I've only lived here for 3 yrs.

Not pictured are the rows of blooming flowers in the back of the yard!

[Scout1071]

30. PS - Those are miniature tiki torches for the bar.

They provide nice lighting.

[Rabrrrrrr]

31. Cool! I've never seen small ones like that.

Great idea!

And good luck with the competition!

Serve the daiquiris to go in Waterford crystal, and make every one individually in a little mini-blender, and you'll definitely win!