The Turtles

 I've seen sea turtles two days in a row, while swimming at Malendure.  

So that's awesome. 

The Humdrum

 Husbandman gave a talk yesterday.  I went to the beach and started reading a new book.  Same old Same old.   Today we're going on a glass bottom boat. 

Polyps at Le Plage

 Husbandman and I swam at St. Anne Beach today.  It's the most beautiful beach I've seen in many a long day.  We floated along, loving life, when suddenly I noticed I had drifted into a shallow area with a lot of seaweed below me.  I used my left hand to push myself into deeper, less sea-weedy waters. 

I regretted this move instantaneously when 3  blistery welts emerged on my wrist, along with a weird stinging sensation. While others would surely have succumbed to panicked weeping in this situation, I remained calm.

Now, hours later, the welts are gone, yet a slight stinging sensation remains.  Through some topnotch internet research, I've discovered I could possibly have Stinging Seaweed Disease. Or I might have been stung by a polyp form of Cnidaria. 

I'm pretty sure it was the Cnidarian polyp and I'm not too happy about it.

I'm mostly better now, so  I'll be heading back to the beach tomorrow. As I've pointed out before here on little leeway, you've got to take the good with the bad.

Le Gosier

 

Last day of school ended with me crying through all the good bye hugs.  This gig is emotional, spending all day with dozens of 3rdLanders for months on end, dealing with their individual and collective ups and downs while teaching them stuff. After the tears, I headed home and collapsed like an out of tune accordion. 

Yesterday started with a Target run to buy a new suitcase.  Packed it up and then caught a flight to Miami.  Stayed overnight at an airport hotel which was one of the worst hotels on the planet. Do not stay there.  This morning we hopped a flight to Pointe-a-Pietre in Guadaloupe.  I finished a book during our flights.  Quick page turner- The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.  65 weeks on the NYT best seller list, so that's nothing to sneeze at.  I've heard that the mini-series based on the book isn't great.  I like the title of one of Laura Dave's other books: Eight Hundred Grapes. So curious.

We made it to our hotel this afternoon, which is in Le Gosier.  Full disclosure:  We're here because Husbandman's attending a math conference. The hotel is a simple, pleasant place with beautiful views.  Highlights of our day: walking on the beach, swimming in the ocean and in the pool, sitting in beach chairs watching pelicans. 

Get ready for fun times over here at alittleleeway. School's out.

The Star

    

      Today I waited patiently in a doctor’s waiting room.  Playing loudly on the television was an old classic, Bachelor Uncle, starring John Forsythe. 157 episodes of Bachelor Uncle were aired over 5 seasons. The show was cancelled in 1961 and was not part of my after school tv viewing (Bewitched, Gilligan’s Island, I Dream of Genie, Hogan’s Heroes).

      The gender and racist stereotyping in Bachelor Uncle made it difficult to enjoy.  I thought about asking the reception people to turn the channel to a home improvement show, but if you know me, you know that’s not how I roll.  I can tolerate a high level of annoyance.  (Thus my career choice). 

    While the show did not age well, I enjoyed watching a young John Forsythe, who stole my heart during his 9 years on the classic prime time soap opera, Dynasty.  He was the only actor to appear in all 220 episodes. I loved John Forsythe’s suave demeanor, his pompadour hairstyle and his warm, distinctive voice, which you may remember from Charlie’s Angels. 

     Fun fact:  John Forsythe was very involved in thoroughbred racing.  

     Fact of Sadness:  John Forsythe died at age 92 from pneumonia. If you’re near Santa Barbara, California, you can visit John’s grave at Ballard Cemetery. Please bring a small stone.  John Forsythe was Jewish.