My friend Robert is a fellow jetty bum who also loves to take photos (he actually does it for a living while I merely dabble in the field). We met a few months back when he shared this photo he snapped.

That’s me in the background, perched on my favorite sunset-watching spot. As someone who is usually behind the camera I appreciated the picture.

So, I was happy to be able to reciprocate a couple weeks ago. Robert was standing on a nearby bench, angling for the perfect image of a fishing boat returning from a day out at sea. The sun even decided to add a little pizzazz. As you can imagine, he was pleased to have the snap!

Anyone who knows me will know why I really dislike that banal expression. However, in this case, the intent of the phrase actually fits.

The previous owners left behind quite a few random objects: assorted bricks, two used, dual-pane, vinyl windows, chainlink sections of a large dog run, and five pieces of chopped up telephone pole.

The bricks I have yet to decide upon but I’ve sold the windows and am in the process of selling the dog run. Disposal of the pole sections had me stymied until I saw this ad in my neighborhood online media.

Light bulb moment! Not only could I repurpose my poles but I could use them to prop up my mailbox, which has a Tower of Pisa complex. Over the past few weeks I snapped up brightly colored “oops” paint whenever I found it (and considering I’m at the home improvement store roughly every other day, I had a lot of opportunities).

This week I hauled my poles out of the backyard, washed them off, drenched them in two coats of paint, and this afternoon, installed them. I think they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

Enjoyed a mellow evening on the beach yesterday. Had a bit of company but she didn’t have much to say…

I was pleasantly rewarded with a lively cetacean show during a jaunt down to Fort De Soto Park earlier this week. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and conditions for fishing were supposedly excellent (according to the helpful and informative tides4fishing.com).

As a result, the pier was lined with hopeful anglers. I watched schools of bait fish glinting in the shallows but the show was stolen by a pod of speedy dolphins. Dashing, spinning, and even jumping out of the water as they searched for food.

I was excited when one man’s reel started spinning, I felt certain that I’d get to see him haul in big one. However, his line quickly went slack and as he brought up his empty hook I heard him mutter, “Damn dolphin!”

Apparently, the ever intelligent creatures have figured out how to successfully remove bait from a hook without getting caught. Admittedly, it is much easier than chasing down a fish in the open water!

When I asked him what he’s trying to catch, he replied, “Whatever the dolphins let me.” He was not a happy camper! Come on down, the fishing is free, after you pay the dolphin…

For the first time in my life I have a lawn to mow. And since I bought a corner lot on a cul-de-sac with a utility easement attached, I have more grass than most of my neighbors. Not really complaining, I enjoy the additional privacy (one of the benefits of only sharing one lot line).

Unfortunately, the property wasn’t very well-cared for (part of the reason I was able to afford it). As a result, the weed-filled grass was uneven and overgrown. I devised a plan to level the ground, reduce mowable area, and make the yard easier to care for.

To that end, last week 8 cubic yards of crushed shell were delivered. Now all I have to do is: remove sod, line ground with cardboard (to prevent regrowth), and dump in loads of shell. I’ve completed three small areas so far with three long walkways ahead of me.

Not to overstate the obvious, but if you remove 12 wheelbarrows full of sod, you will need 12 wheelbarrows full of shell. I won’t be joining a gym any time soon!

Final note, I am piling the removed sod against the outside of my fence as a buffer from potential flooding. During Tropical Storm Eta, water gushed out of the storm sewers and flowed down the street. Thankfully, the storm surge and high tide were off by a few hours or I would’ve had a bit of a problem.

As I mentioned in my last post, I drove through the outer edge of Tropical Storm Eta on my return trip. I felt fortunate to sneak home before the tempest arrived.

One of the reasons I haven’t been too concerned during this hurricane season is that the Tampa area hasn’t had a direct hit in about 100 years (though, of course, I know that’s not an indicator of future trends).

The next morning, after reading the warnings, I decided to err on the side of caution and install the hurricane fabric that the previous owners had left behind. As I explained to my neighbor, it was my first rodeo so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Unfortunately, the panels were not labeled, parts were missing, and the anchors were incorrectly installed. I discovered all of that while standing on a ladder in the rain. Good times!

Regardless, I did the best I could and it afforded me a bit of peace of mind as I listened to the wind howling around the house later that night.

Thankfully, all my preparations were for naught as the storm blew north of me. The next morning dawned warm and sunny, and in my new neighborhood things looked pretty darn normal.

My old neighborhood, however, did not fare as well. My afternoon walk to the beach was almost a swim. Low-lying areas were still flooded, and so many houses were trying to dry out. Friends of mine suffered some water damage, including a refrigerator that blew out since they had neglected to unplug it. Thankfully, they were all safe!

I have to admit though, the excess water did provide a scenic backdrop.

On a side note, someone missed me. Well, not me, but apparently my car…thanks for the mess, Morrissey! That’s the name I gave the big, sweet neighborhood tom cat. He doesn’t care what I call him, he doesn’t answer anyway.