HE went to Jared.

And so did I. Today. Love to make jewelry, yes. Love to wear it? Not so much. In fact I often wear the same pair of earrings for weeks on end. Whatever I wear out usually comes off the instant I'm in the door, right after the shoes.

Today, however, I needed to make a little visit to Jared. Or rather, I have a ring that needed to make a visit for a six month inspection and cleaning. And a pendant that needed cleaning. And an omega that needed fixing. Got to wonder about all this fixing and cleaning for jewelry I don't wear, eh?

Anyway, my BFFFF and I went to Jared today to take care of business. It's the only retail store I know of where Peanut is not only welcome but fussed over as well. Yeah, and there's Petco and Petsmart. But back to Jared . . . I've always thought they had the best and most beautiful of the unusual, fabulous items not to be found in a mall store. And today was no exception.

While waiting for my items to be cleaned I found a group of items to be drooled over and maybe to die for. They are part of the LeVian collection stocked by Jared and probably my most favorite pieces. Today I discovered the "chocolate diamond."

Maybe the rest of you are familiar with these but, hey, I don't get out much. Not a shopper. But when it comes to high quality "chocolate," I'm THERE. Here are a couple of the treats I found irresistible: The watch "bezel" is two entire rows of chocolate diamonds. $2,495. Worth every penny. And this necklace:

a wonderful chocolate South Seas pearl entrapped in a squiggle of chocolate diamonds. Oddly strung on 15 cents worth of cord, but what the heck, still worth its $899 price tag in my book. Honey? Are you reading this?

This was the quote of the day today on our Excite.com homepage. It pretty well sums up the lessons I've been learning of late:

Life's about friendships, the way you love your partner, the way you care for your children. That is what life is about. Not anything about earning a hundred zillion dollars because you toured America more than anyone else. I want life to be about creativity.

-- Joe Strummer, former lead singer for the Clash rock band.

That's no fake snake under the rake . . .

. . . or why I don't garden in Florida. If you're on Facebook you may have already seen much of this content. If not, this is especially for you.

Pygmy rattlesnake bites man mowing lawn Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Lutz -- A pygmy rattlesnake bit a man who was doing lawn maintenance in Lutz Wednesday. He was working in a yard off Lutz Lake Fern Road when the snake latched onto his foot and injected him with venom. This is the 9th venomous snakebite that has been treated at UCH in a few months.

Some people think snakes are fun:

It's snake, rattle and hole at Pasco County festival
PASCO COUNTY -- It's snake, rattle and hole at the rattlesnake festival that takes place Oct. 20 and 21st in Pasco County, FL. The 41st annual Rattlesnake ...Festival in San Antonio started out in the 1960s as a rattlesnake round-up, but has evolved into an eco-friendly lesson about Florida's wild history.

Others, not so much:

Mother faces charges in python strangling case
OCALA - The question of accountability for the death of a 2-year-old Sumter County girl strangled by the family's pet python remains on the table.
Prosecutors met Thursday at the State Attorney's Office to determine whether or not to file charges in the case that garnered international attention.
Almost a month after a Burmese python strangled Shaiunna Hare, 2, at her Sumter County home, prosecutors said they have some unanswered questions about the case.
Earlier this month, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said it was possible that both the little girl's mother, Jaren Hare, 19, and her fiance, Charles Jason Darnell, 32, could face child neglect charges.

Hurricane's a comin'!

This is one of my all-time favorite episodes of Golden Girls.

One of the things I will miss when we no longer have our home in Florida is the dramatic weather. The skies are amazing, the LOUD cracks of thunder would cause even Superman to dive for cover and the lightning! Oh, the lightning! There's no other place to see lightning like Tampa.

Sorry about the little dots on the photo, it had just begun to rain. Leaving the weather and the pool -- heartbreaking!

...NEWS YOU CAN USE...NEWS YOU CAN USE...

Hello! Here's the latest from Tampa where it's 91 sunny degrees, 97 heat index. More weather later. And now here's international news:

Human Rights Watch: Iraqi gays tortured and killed
Monday, August 17, 2009

"Social cleansing" is going on in Iraq supposedly due to a youtube.com video showing Iraqi men "partying." Correct me if I'm wrong, but have we ever heard mention of Iraqi women being invited to the party? Care to read more?
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/8/17/509279.html


'Deadliest Catch' stars help out charity event
Sunday, August 16, 2009

Jonathan and Andy Hillstrand of the Time Bandit were in Bradenton on Sunday. Damn, I missed seeing them. I heard they are introducing a new Bloody Mary called "After the Storm." More:
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/8/16/509236.html?title=

Thai elephant hurt by mine gets artificial leg
Saturday, August 15, 2009

Here's one for you animal lovers: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/8/15/508834.html

And now, the weather.

Bill upgraded to hurricane; Claudette moves inland
Monday, August 17, 2009

Check out this website for awesome satellite photos and more:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml


And, finally, the OCD Cleaning Woman continues her tasks in Lutz, FL. We hear she has spent so much time standing in bleach and other chemicals while cleaning the tub and shower that she has the cleanest feet in the universe.

Things I'll miss . . .

. . . afternoon rain that fills the pool.

Things I won't miss -- especially my coyote jacket -- twelve bags of clothes from my closet!

A prize catch . . .

. . . is a good way to characterize my husband. Here he is holding onto the tail of a sailfish he caught off the Florida keys a couple of years ago.
Today marks fifteen years of marriage to my beautiful Jim, the kindest person I have ever known, and I thank him with my whole heart for his unwavering and unconditional love. Throughout the trials and tribulations he has remained loyal and committed and I have not appreciated him nearly enough. Did you ever know that he's my hero and the wind beneath my wings?