Summertime photo blogging monthly challenge and Blogiversary year TWO!

Today is my two-year Blogiversary and my celebration consists of participating in the ~

This month’s theme is: Summer.

I’m pretty sure most people who have participated are in the summer months — and if you’re not, well, insert your season here!

For this month, please publish your post on Friday, August 30.  

Those that have been following me know that I am an ocean sport fisherperson.  I can't think of a better name.  Perhaps there is "First Mate" or more often heard while fishing is "grab the net!"  I can say that there are few women that brave the fickle ocean waters.  The first image I took on timer and Zipper, right on cue, stood face forward to the camera. 

Wearing thrifted camo hat

Inc. brand long-sleeved camo shirt (also thrifted)

Fingerless wool gloves

I caught 15 fish that day.  Outfished the Captain.  He grumbled about that all the way home.  

This is the desired (and dreaded for their sharp teeth) ling cod.  

The Point Reyes lighthouse as seen from the ocean side.  

The Why Knot heading out of the marina with abalone divers.  

A happy canine enjoying the last dog days of summer.  

Please give a looksee at the other participants' summertime images at hoohaablog.  

September marks the inception of the 30 Days of Photographs IV hosted by Ziva, the gal with the long hair and the long camera lens.  

As an aside, I signed up for AdSense.  Thought I would give it a try.  Anyone else opt for monetizing their blog?    

The Shopper's Shakes

Being furloughed to part-time, I have a LOT more time for thrift shopping.  Just as I do with retail stores, I do with thrift stores -- I shop off season.  The temperatures in the Northern California area where I am based, are still topping out around 90+ degrees.  The quality items I purchased recently were a Charter Club long sleeved collared button up white shirt (marked $5, but yellow tags were $1), an American Blue black and grey argyle pullover sweater ($1.50), a fall colored scarf (50 cents) and silver and rhinestone clip-on earrings ($2.50).  The basic white shirt is a wardrobe essential.

When I found out the white shirt was a $1 item, the cashier said I had a case of the "shopper's shakes," you are so pleased with your find, you shake.  Have you ever had the shopper's shakes?

Visible Monday, Traveling Yellow Skirt update and September photo challenge

This image links in with Patti's visible-monday-110-drunken-zebra.   Patti is sporting stripes on this linkup - so will I!  I am also linking with Spy Girl's 52 Pick-me-up - her prompt this week is Yikes-Stripes.  This is the only piece of stripey clothing I own.

Jones New York sweater

Anne Klein blouse

(both retail)

George skirt (thrifted)

For some reason, I snagged a few vinyl records as thrift shop rescues.  The cover art on this album turned out to be stripey perfect.

Tamera of Menopausal Supermodel models the Traveling Yellow Skirt.  She has succumbed to the skirt's magic.



On the blog challenge front - blog buddies Ziva's Inferno and Mike at Too Many Mornings have posted the topics for the September 2013 30 Days of Photographs IV.

1. Ice Cream 
2. Illuminate
3. Soft
4. Backwards
5. Mushroom 
6. Two Birds, One Stone
7. Seven
8. Texture
9. Disguise
10. Close-up
11. Girly
12. Tremor
13. Wrong
14. NSFW
15. China 
16. Biblical
17. My Junk 
18. Always 
19. Never
20. Transparent 
21. Anatomy
22. Frustration
23. Tolstoy
24. Carnival
25. Poison 
26. Rising
27. NWSE
28. Lover 
29. Circle
30. Happily Ever After

Dolly Day in the blogosphere

It is Dolly Day!  I'm linked in with Ivy and Elephants What's It Wednesday (m'kay, so I am a day late, and a dolly short ...)  Paula highlights her African-American rag dolls, one of my favorite collectibles.  Here is my ragdoll-and-half-doll post.  A recent addition to my collection of rag dolls, the needlework on her dress makes her all the more precious.

I also discovered a new blogger Thorne Garnet and her Weird Doll Wednesday posts.

AND on to important dolly biznezz ... this baby doll inmate is listed on shopgoodwill.com.  It looks like dolly + box + clothes will sell for about $150.  She's a cutie.

These boy dolls seem to be in awe of her!

shopgoodwill.com

If only I had half the style that this next doll has ~

She is being detained at shopgoodwill.com.

Finally, this doll would be a keeper.  She is holding court at that same site: AD-Stutton-Doll

The Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest AND Monday Mingle

I hopped onto this anti-blog hop hosted by the following group of AtoZ bloggers:  Mark Koopmans, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, “Life is Good” Tina, Robyn Engeland Morgan Shamy.  

While I do not know Gary (pictured below).  What I have read is he is (obviously) anti-hop, anti-award. I, on the other hand, shamelessly link into everything, because well, it's fun ...



The rules are *very* simple. 

Create the titles of three PG-13 rated blogfests you would never join - and then add a descriptive sentence or two. That's it! 

Alex J. Cavanaugh posts he would never sign up for:

Cheesecake & Cauliflower Bloghop - "where dinner and dessert is mixed in one dish." 

Blocked up Toilet Blogfest - "where crap happens." 

Alphapet Zoo-mbie Bloghop - "where cuddly undead toys learn how to spell." 

Blogfests I don't think I should (or could) join:


Let's All Wear Plaid - "where plaid is Queen and you don't have to be one to wear it."  



The drinking weightlifter's blog party - "you do whatcha gotta do."



The Z to Infinity Challenge - "where you write a post a day into infinity."

And the ultimate anti-anti-blogfest is to link in with another blog!  *laughs like a pirate*

I have finally linked in with Toughcookiemommy for a no-rules bloghop I first mentioned on this post Come-up-with-10-post-ideas.

Five Tips for the Furloughed Employee

Being a recent addition to the ranks of the furloughed (aka partially employed) persons, I consider myself an expert.  *chuckles to self*

Tip No. 1:  Take up a hobby ... or an anti-hobby.  Pictured below is a wooden hinged box I bought for $2.50 (priced at $5, I cashed in my filled-out frequent buyer card for an item at 1/2 off).

I've done absolutely nothing to it, besides take off the price sticker.  DONE.  *rubs hands together*  Isn't it brilliant?  Yes, an anti-hobby.

Tip No. 2:  Watch a TV show you normally wouldn't watch.  I stumbled onto Trisha Uncut, it was one of those "whose your daddy?" cheating spouses/lie detector type of show.  That program sucked me in.  I DID want to know who the daddy was.  I DID want to know if they were unfaithful to each other.  There was yelling and words were bleeped and the alleged daddy walked off stage.  Luckily, no punches or chairs were thrown.

Tip No. 3:  You are home more therefore you clean more.  I am seeing places that need to be cleaned that I never saw before.  You know that grate under the refrigerator door?  Bam - it's clean!

Tip No. 4:  Feeling slightly depressed?  While I am usually all over the fashion boards, my heart just isn't in to posing.  I have decided to use Barbie as my stand-in.  That's right, a substitute me.  If I could only figure out a way to send the substitute me to work, while I vacation in Cancun.

Just kidding!  Spy Girl's 52 Pick-me-up directive is:  Fruit salad:  peach/orange/lemon/lime  

52-pick-me-up-tutti-frutti.    

Tip No. 5:  There is time for rearranging the kitchen cupboards, organizing the utensil drawer, starting those list of projects, weeding the garden, canning food for the winter, digging a fallout shelter (just seeing if you were paying attention) - RESIST THE TEMPTATION!  DO NOTHING!  

There I've said it - Do Nothing!  The best strategy of all.  You know, it's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.  You know where you will find me ...

I have also linked up with Nancy at A Rural Journal for:

Hat Attack #1 and Friday's Frock - the Interview Suit

The inception of Style Crone's Hat-attack-1 deserves a hat of note for this inaugural blog hop!

Friday's Frock is my "interview suit."  Interview suit and an updo.  My current employer has graciously furloughed me to part-time work, half wages.  Yesterday was my first furlough day off - seems one of my bosses was asking where I was.  Hmmmm.  In Caleefornya, that there is called a furlough day.

This particular ensemble is all retail, Tahari suit, Alfani button-up, ruffled shirt and Aerosoles black pumps. The cats are extra accessories.

Do you have an interview suit?

Photo blogging challenge - Signs

Cheers to the month-long photog challenge of P.J. at a lil hoo ha.



July’s theme was: Signs.

Signage No. Oneage:  Here I am photobombing the "Welcome to Sacramento" sign on J Street.  Excusee the hair - I've since fixed the dye job.  Toner, girlfriend, toner!

Signage No. Twoage:  The story behind this sign is that the inmates can see people from the street from their recreation area.  There is some talk that around Valentine's Day the GFs/SOs of the inmates would gather at this spot to um "show their wares" to their incarcerated bad boys.

Signage No. Threeage:  Rodney's Cigars.  Wish I could've told you I bought a winning lottery ticket here, but that was not the case.  I like the retro-look of this sign, I hope they never replace it.

Signage No. Fourage:  Signs, signs, everywhere there is signs. When I snapped this image, the vendor (not pictured) at the California State Fair was NOT happy with me.  He took my picture on his cell phone and said, "Wave for YouTube."  Course, I obliged.  Guess he thought I would steal his "sign language."  Badaboom!

And this is the sign that makes my heart go flitter flutter.

Thrift Shop Commando on the rampage!  Be sure to check out my fellow participants and their signs.