Vaca brag: Santorini

This is one of the stops on our Med cruise in October: the Greek island of Santorini, also known as Thira, which many believe is Atlantis.






There's a lot of evidence to support the theory -- a volcanic eruption around the time when Atlantis was believed to be in existence, archeological findings from that time period and writings from Plato describing the cataclysm (not that Plato was such a great reporter, but we figure he wouldn't have just made it up). Thira/Santorini is also a more believable location than the Bahamas.

We will anchor out and have to take a tender in -- then go to the top of the mountain either by elevator or on a donkey. What a choice. But what a view! Can't wait to see this place. When we booked the cruise, we were aiming for one that had both Naples (for close proximity to Herculaneum) and Santorini on the itinerary.

For serious book lovers only

This bookcase -- cleverly built into a staircase (or, conversely, a staircase built into a bookcase -- your choice) -- is so awesome, it makes me want to move into a 5-story house just so I can have one. Or five.

I have enough books to do justice to one of these, but not sure I can get past the problem of needing the same size books to make it look right. (Found at ApartmentTherapy.com via Doppelganger at 50 Books.)

It's "caturday": friendship

Jay and Cocoa hang out together a lot. I think it's because Milenko and Tabby told Jay he was a dog. And I think he believed them. It wasn't until recently that Jay started jumping high onto things like the linen cabinet in our bathroom.

But they do look cozy ...

Favorite things Friday: Alexis!

Alexis is coming to visit us soon! (Here she is demonstrating how to eat. We're pretty sure she's a lefty.)

While she's here, we'll have her birthday (a week early, but so what?). This is one of the options for the party decorations. Given that she's a descendant of a pirate, we thought it appropriate.

Jewelry is a gift possibility.

Here she is playing with the dollhouse I made her for Christmas. Can't wait to see her!

Ad rant: Toyota ("out of gas")

You know the commercial with the guy driving the girl home and he turns the key off and coasts to a stop and says they're out of gas ... and then the girl starts laughing? I hate that commercial. The whole point (the "sales" point) is that the car gets a ka-jillion miles to the gallon so theoretically it should never run out of gas. Which, ha, yeah right.

But did she have to humiliate him like that?

This is the second Toyota commercial that has gotten on my nerves. Starting to see trend here.

Mapquest is no friend of mine

This morning I had to go to Orangeburg for a media event and mapquested the directions. They were fine until I got to the last step. It said to turn left, but actually I was supposed to turn right. I drove a long way before I could get turned around and get my bearings -- and then I realized that mapquest had foiled me again. Lesson learned: To be sure of where you're going, call for directions.

Blog referral

My daughter Jackie forwarded me this info -- a blog by a Lowcountry soldier, Capt. Shawn Keller with the Army Reserves in Iraq. I've added him to my blogroll and sent him an email to let him know I'm following his blog -- and praying for him every day.