Project Chicken Coop!

It's done! After all that hard work, the chicken coop is now my official laundry room!
It was a month long project, but totally worth it!
Kudos to Mark! To say he worked hard is an understatement.

There is always a project here at the Mullet Ranch, next up will be putting up a new fence to completely fence in all of our property! The dogs will be in Whippet Heaven! It will be another big change here and we are excited about getting started. Also in the works is our screened in porch which when finished will be where we spend most of our time, it will be fabulous!
There will also be changes over at Truman Street (the trailer formerly known as the Mullet Ranch) we are installing a tank less water heater! For those of you who have been there, this is big and exciting news! No more water rationing! It is a much needed improvement that I am certain will be loved and appreciated by upcoming guests! But don't worry, everything else that makes Truman St so darn comfy cozy will remain. Like the Barbie stove and our outdoor Internet cafe!!

Folks, we are now in the time of year that has me saying "this is why I live in Florida". The sun will be shining, the sky a beautiful blue, and the ocean waves softly crashing onto the shore.
Everyday will be a great day on the bike and I am confident the Mullet Ranch calendar will fill up with visitors from the North! It will be a great winter, so come on down!

Until then, Mullets out...........

Octoberfest!

Octoberfest

Let’s reminisce shall we about the last month. We arrived in Ky on my birthday and the month has been filled with all kinds of emotions. Turning 46 did not emote any specific emotion other than I now feel like I can complain a little more about my aches and pains and they are sort of justified. Oh, okay we all know that is just lame. But, speaking of pain I did get diagnosed with Tennis elbow in one elbow and Golfer’s elbow in both elbows!! All that work on Mullet Ranch South and instead of big strong Popeye arms, I get lame elbows. It sounds like a wimpy thing, but let me tell you it can be quite uncomfortable. A few days of physical therapy and no more push ups for a while and I should be good as new.

Another milestone occurred a few days later when Mark turned 49 and Alex turned 19! Mark of course was at work when this occurred, so we celebrated when ever he was home!! It is just hard to believe that Alex is 19! “Seems like yesterday” is something we say all the time! He is currently visiting the 1R Hooligans in Chicago and I am certain has a huge smile on his face right this very minute!!

While Mark was in and out of town, I readied MRN for the final walk through. Tendinitis band firmly in place, I stacked the boxes neatly in the garage so they would be ready to load onto the trailer. Each time at the house it got a little easier to leave. Seems my heart is now in Englewood, waiting for me to return to my little bungalow of happiness.

Closing date was set for October 23, 2009 at 10am. Still not convinced it was actually going to happen, nerves became frazzled. The new owners of MRN are actually moving from Florida to Ky!! How funny is that? Would their flight be delayed? Would they do the final walk through and see that Mark actually missed one leaf from the front garden? Was this actually going to happen?

In true Mullet Ranch fashion a last minute swaray was planned and friends gathered to say good-bye, again! Great filet's, great conversation, lots of laughs, drinks and memories!!

And, a side celebration of David Mark taking the LSAT and getting a kick ass score!

We awoke around 6 this morning, eager to get the day started. Mark arranged for new tires on the trailer, I packed, he packed, the dogs walked around in a state of confusion! Where are we going NOW? They seem to ask. We get to the closing and the bank door is not open. The ever resourceful Closing Attorney got us a nice conference room at Central Bank instead. The new owners of MRN are an adorable young couple who seemed so excited about the house it just made it all seem “good and right”. Check in hand we hit the road. As I type this at 10:05pm, 12 hours since the papers were signed we are crossing into the state of Florida!

In closing I would like to give a shout out to Beth who let us invade her home for the “Octoberfest”!! It was of course just like old times. Hanging out, playing Scrabble, going to Target and of course the daily runs to Kroger!! Hurry to Florida my friend, new adventures await!

Until next time, Mullets out……

a birthday, a wedding, a funeral & a house closing

Well, as you can probably tell from my eclectic title, life just keeps going! It has been awhile since my last blog and I have been itching to write something new, but couldn't decide what to write about. So I decided to write about it all in one fell swoop.

Let's start with my birthday- went to dinner with our good friends Sam and Suzanne and our Godson Taylor. We took the ferry over to the Rum Bay Restaurant on Palm Island. Great food, great company, great birthday!For those of you who know Sam and Suzanne, look closely and you will see that Sam is actually wearing shoes!!! A rare sight indeed.

On the actual day that I turned 46, which I don't mind saying because it is what it is. Mark and I traveled from sunny beautiful Florida back to cold rainy Kentucky just in time to celebrate with Beth and Alex!! It was so good to see them and catch up. Alex got to see his Mabeline Fontaine Farticus which made them both very happy!

A few days later, the celebrations continued because Mark and Alex have a birthday right around the corner, tomorrow and Saturday to be exact! So we decided to just celebrate all three since Mark would be working. *insert boo's here* ANOTHER great day! Mark's famous Chili and great company. David Mark, Lara, Alex, Zak, Dean and Beth. Nothing better than celebrating with family!

A few days of rest and on to the Wedding.

The real reason we came back to Kentucky was for our good friends Todd and Melissa's wedding. I was the official photographer for the big day and was very nervous!! Mark was Todd's Best Man Stand-In. The real and original Best Man was Todd's brother Scott. When it was discovered that Scott might not make it to the wedding due to cancer treatments he was receiving in Houston, Todd asked Mark to do the honor. A week or so prior to the wedding, hope was restored and it looked like Scott would be able to come, although in fast deteriorating health. He and his family arrived Saturday afternoon just in time for the nuptials, and flew back home that very night thanks to a donated charter. I was so glad that I was able to photograph the family as just 32 hours later Scott passed away.

The funeral.

I had not met Scott prior the wedding, I only knew him from photographs and stories from Todd. I also followed his journey on a website that he had created to keep everyone up to date. It was really a pleasure to have finally met Scott as it was and is very clear that he was a very special and loved man.

The House Closing

We have a contract on MRN (Mullet Ranch North) so the remainder of our time here in Ky will be spent emptying out the house and crossing the t's and dotting the i's. I am so happy it sold! Not sure if you are aware but it is a difficult time to sell a house right now!! So, Mark and I are very thankful for that and for many other things. Thankful for our family, our friends, and the time we get to spend together.

Life does go on, but every birthday, every wedding and even every funeral adds to that life a little something that maybe wasn't there before. Maybe a little more compassion, maybe more laughter, less procrastinating, less thinking and more doing, and maybe a little more love.

Until next time, Mullets out.....

How to catch a Mullet

Great afternoon on the boat yesterday! Went on a Mullet hunt. With Sam at the ships wheel, we stalked and searched and Mark got out of the boat, and back in the boat several times before finally, just prior to "I give up, let's go drink beer", we saw what looked to be a small group of fish. Mark gingerly gets out of the boat, gets the net ready, and slooowwwwly works his way over to the "spot". Sam and I wait in the boat and watch, and then this is what we see:



If you click on the image above, it will be full screen and you can actually see the fish splashing right before the net falls on them! Not to brag on my uber photography skills, but that is no amature move there folks. So, please don't try this at home. It took years of practicing and following Mark around to get just the right shot. But, enough about me.

We head back to clean the fish and invite Sam, Suzanne & our Godson Taylor over to the Ranch for the catch of the day! Gives a whole new meaning to "fresh fish" not "fresh frozen a few days ago and shipped all over the world fish". Mark was anxious to try the pancake recipe on the newly departed Mullet. A little egg, a little pancake mix, some salt, pepper and fry them up. It was delicious. So mild and such a light coating that it was not greasy at all.
Suzanne made her famous Gasparilla Grabbers, aka corn fritters. They were sooooo good.

The funniest story from the night was after Mark finished the fish, we noticed the mosquitoes were arriving. The poor dogs would come in and be covered! Quick shut the door! Mark, Taylor and I ran around the kitchen and killed probably 50 of those little buggers! Slapping the floor, the walls, the ceiling. Leaving there bloody carcases all over the place. Thank goodness for Clorox Cleaner! While all this was going on, we left poor Sam and Suzanne outside to cook the corn fritters. I felt kind of bad, but I wasn't going out there! It was a swarm I tell you. Must have been a new hatch from the last rain we had. Mark would look out the door and make sure they weren't being carried away. I didn't get any pictures of the mosquitoes. Maybe next time.

Until then, Mullets out...........

My early birthday present!

Imagine my surprise when Mark unveiled the newest addition to our family!
"Wow, for me?" I exclaimed!
I have always wanted a boat named after me and I was, well, speechless.
"Really, for me?" I kept asking.
Possibly hoping that the answer would be no, but it was
"YES, all for you baby!"
Wow, um, great, I think.
Now, seriously. Mark made an excellent trade. He traded Lucretia Redwine for the Shari Marie. No money had to change hands, and our new craft came with a trailer! Bonus! Mark has always wanted an air boat hull and now he has one. He and Sam will fix it up and it will be stunning I have no doubt.
On sunny days or even cloudy days you will find us out on Coral Creek, or Bull Bay, or where ever else she takes us. For now, she will just be pulled behind the truck, maybe a parade or two. Even better, we could use her for a large beer cooler! Fill her full of ice and I'm telling you that would be a party!
That is all for now, just wanted to keep you all up to date on the latest going ons here at the Mullet Ranch. Always an adventure!

Mullets out...............

2009 Pioneer Days

A few weeks ago, my good friend and fellow photographer Suzanne asked me if I wanted to join her in participating in Englewoods annual "Pioneer Days". She was getting a booth to sell her photographs and thought I might like to add a few of my photos to see if they would sell. I definitely thought that was a good idea, and fun too! Hang out for the day, eat bad food, and possibly, maybe, sell some of my photographs. So, she picked me up today at 6:45am to head to the festival and "set up" the booth. Lots of work goes into this, but it is boring and so I won't go into details.

We get a primo spot and are in perfect view of the 9am, parade. I am not sure what to expect as growing up in Cedar, Mn we also had a Pioneer Days, but that my friends, is another blog.

The parade starts and within minutes I see a float that is the USS McMullet! I kid you not!! I take mental note, also a photograph to show Mark as he is still comfy in bed at the Mullet Ranch. A few floats go by throwing candy at my Godson Taylor, and squirting us with water. and low and behold another Mullet float! This time they are handing out the above card that describes the Mullet and it's historical value here in Englewood. This is hilarious to me and I cannot wait to show Mark! Two folks are walking in the parade with "Mullet" hand written on the front of their t-shirt! Are we not where we belong or what?

Suzanne and I both sold one photograph, but really the whole Mullet salute made the day worthwhile.

Mullets out....

all work and no play, well you know what that makes

Awoke early to get caffeinated and ready to fish! We had an 8am meeting time at the marina with a friend of a friend who was kind enough to take me and Mark out on the beautiful waters that are really just in our backyard. Sunscreen, check. Water, check. Camera, check. Gummy Bears, check. (never leave home without Haribo Gummy Bears, the best Gummy Bears in the world, imho)

We head out and and in true fisherman form, we first have to catch our bait. Growing up on Lake George, these "bait fish" would have been dinner! haha. We get about 30 bait fish, grunts and pin fish. Grunts are so named because they really grunt! I swear! I almost videotaped it just to prove that they grunt like little pigs! Bait fish caught we head over to the trestle, which I always want to call a trellis. They are not the same and should not be confused with one another! Mark baits my hook, casts it out there perfectly and hands me the pole. I wait........ I have clear instruction. Wait til you feel a thump, keep your pole up, as the line tightens, slowwwlllly drop your pole towards the water and then....BAM hook that sucker! Then reel, pull up, reel, pull up, reel, pull up. All the while Mark and Capt David Chapman are hollering!! It is exciting I can not tell a lie. I catch the first fish of the day, hahahaha. The snook you see pictured above was about 29" long. Perfect. Snook season just opened and the requirements are that they are between 28 and 33". I win! I'd like to thank the academy, and of course I just wouldn't be here holding this big fish without my rock, my world, ....oh wait. I don't get an award. Crap.

Let's talk dinner. On the advise of Capt David Chapman, we cut the filet's into strips, dip them into raw egg, and then roll them in dry pancake mix. They are then fried in peanut oil. We were sceptical at first. Pancake mix? Seems too sweet, but we are always willing to try things 3 or 4 times! It is fabulous. The fish is so mild, like butta! Really, it was a delicious dinner along with a salad. If you come and visit, we will make it for you!

Mullets out..........

"Mama said there'd be days like this"

Today's Mullet Ranch word of the day is "teamwork".
No matter what you do, do it together and it will be a:) faster, 2:) more fun. Yes I know I just used a and then 2, for some reason I found that funny. Mark and I have always worked well together and so all of our projects here at the Mullet Ranch are a team effort. Not 50-50, but rather 100-100. Okay, sometimes it is 100-75, but I AM a girl.

As you can see from the photo, today we worked on our empty lot, which is not quite empty but filled with old trees, and other debris that needed to be cleaned up. So while Mark worked his magic with his Echo chainsaw, I heaved and ho-ed putting all the "debris" in a nice little pile to be picked up. We are on our 40-11th million bulk pickup, M & M Sanitation knows us by heart!

We did sneak a little ride in prior to the work today, which was nice. So far during our travels we have seen a bobcat and an alligator (from the bridge right before you get to Todd's Church, for those of you who have been here).

We are enjoying our new place here in Englewood, and adjusting to the empty nest life that we have just begun. I still miss being a 24-7 Mom, I still miss my friends, but this new smaller, less hectic, less expensive, and if I may be frank, less clothing lifestyle seems to fit us to a T! In fact, we may have to rename it the "Nude Ranch", lol.

Time for a V and T, Mullets out.....................

Greetings from the Mullet capitol of the world! Well, I don't know if that is true or not, but it sounded good. Saturday Mark went fishing with Sam and caught around 90 mullet! Yesterday they smoked them and even tried some new seasonings- garlic salt and crushed red pepper. Let me tell you, there is nothing better than smoked mullet right out of the smoker. It is fabulous. Best fish I have ever had.

We are finally getting organized around here. The weirdest feeling is not having a date that we have to "go back". That is a good feeling.

The dogs are in heaven here. They were so stressed the last few weeks with all the noise and change and disruption, and so now they are able to relax and enjoy! They love Florida.

More projects for today so,

Mullets out.............

good-bye & hello

here we are leaving Ky and arriving in Fl!!

Moving Day

Well, yesterday was a marathon packing, cleaning, painting, sweating, lifting, you name it, we did it kind of day. I swear if I had to do one more thing I was going to scream! But, with help from Beth and Hege, Mark and I were able to get it all done, packed up and ready to leave this morning.
Fast forward to 3am.
Me: Why are you up?
Mark: Let's go
Me: shit
So, after last minute details and cleaning, at 4am we left Mullet Ranch North for the last time. Well, that is until we sell it and have to go back and pack and move more stuff.
On the road, dogs, truck packed with bikes, flat bed trailer filled with boxes and a mower and then covered in plastic wrap. In true Beverly Hillbilly tradition!
Fast forward to 10:30pm. We are exhausted. The dogs are exhausted. We are home.

Mullets out...........

This is what we have been doing for the past two days. Our backs are killing us, nuff said!



Mullets out..

Party update

Well, the party was a blast. Cornhole in the front yard, grilling out burgers and visiting with great friends. One of the highlights was watching the Zander Dance. While he was in the middle, a group formed a circle around him and did whatever dance moves (and believe me, he has dance moves) he did. It was hilarious to watch and the dancers got quite the workout! Spinning, squatting, clapping, more squatting. I am sure more than a few quads are sore this morning! haha

It was great to visit with everyone and we can't wait to continue our tradition of having gatherings, you all will just have to travel a little farther south!

Until next time.....Mullets out

The Move

Well, it is fast approaching. The move that is. I am excited, scared, nervous, happy, sad, apprehensive, excited, oh did I already say that? Needless to say tons of emotions. So I thought I would start this blog to keep in touch and keep everyone in the loop.

The Mullet Ranch North (MRN) is getting spruced up and ready to sell. Met with the realtor today and should be on the market mid next week. Lot's of work that we probably should have done when we moved in, oh well, less work for the new owners.

Big party tomorrow night, cookout and corn hole tourney. Should be a ton of fun. So if you are in the neighborhood, stop by!

This time next week we will be safely at the Mullet Ranch in sunny Englewood, Florida. Our house is adorable and ready to move in. We want lots of visitors, so before long we will have a cozy little place for guests!

Until next time...