Cue Cards needed

Now you are gonna have to follow the bouncing subbie ball here - cause I am trying to sort  things out...... yeah AGAIN!!

   I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer some times - honest I'm not!!  (and I can hear the rest of you snickering - I can!!)   There are some facets of life that I wish came with cue cards... or some sort of instructions.

A week or so ago I was talking with a close friend - she said "well look at all the folks who are flirting with you"  My jaw hit the floor - people have been flirting and I didn't pick up on it??!!  Most of the time - I just think people are being "nice'........... flirting never enters my mind... never has - not even when I was a young thing...... nice people that's what they were........ My friend - my "mini me" promised she would pinch me from now on to wake me up (her answer to cue cards - le sigh)

And then there was this conversation via text last week with some other friends - where I was asked what foods I like and I said "I'm easy" - MEANING I am not a picky eater.  Then there were the cracks about how he didn't think I was easy and I answered back (cheekily) are you saying I am difficult - to which he answered "NO just that you are not one of THOSE easy girls".

Ok by that point I knew we were talking about sex and teasing etc... I never thought it was a "fact finding mission" - was it??


Ok fast forward a few days - now there is a lot of talk involving double meanings (I think) - and talk about how things have occurred in the past - I tried to talk around the topic - drop my own kind of hints (gee are ya wondering how well that worked out for me??!!)

And then I thought I would just follow his lead - cause I am best at following - which is why I am a sub - a damn good one! His lead really didn't go anywhere. Oh there was some talk of sex - (see me blushing?) but no - ummm - directness - not in my mind. And I worried about overstepping the line.  He does have a very special significant other - called a wife.  And before anyone gets all bent out of shape - she was right there the whole time..........


Anyway all that to say - between being brought up to be a "good girl" and feelings of "who would want me (sexually)"  I am stuck in some limbo - wanting to get out..........an order or two would work wonders - and when it comes to flirting - either mini me had better start pinching me - OR - the flirter had better hit me over the head........ 

cause I am definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
 

Messsage

About two weeks ago I guess it was - I received an email from a friend / acquaintance.  I had just rsvp'd that I wouldn't be attending a discussion group.  

The email basically said that despite what I thought / felt - this might be the very best time for me to attend.  I kept thinking how does he know what the best time is??? but I went .......... and the "old me" started to reappear... the bratty me.. the cheeky me... and I laughed along with everyone and realized that there was more to life than going to the gym and sitting at the computer working........ a whole BIG world had been waiting for me to reappear and re-discover my place in it.

And life has kinda started to move along again...... play time this weekend - another meeting this week of a new group getting started...... and lo and behold I was made a group leader!  (not sure how much of an "honour" that is - grinning - they need workers and I am a worker!)  BUT despite my thoughts that I would never see the BDSM side of my life again - here I am more active/busy than I have been in a LONG long time..... 

And that is a good thing - a very good thing!

All thanks to what I affectionately am calling my "message in a bottle" ..........

Primal

I think most - if honest - would admit to having primal urges - some urges more intense than others but still - primal needs/wants/desires

Saturday night found me back in the dungeon.  This time not with the gentle Top who introduced me to the tens - who used knives and breath play to reach deep down inside of me and find my lil hidey hole - where "she" lives.

No on Saturday night I was with this Top who is discovering his primal side - nurturing it ... encouraging it..

This Primal does not frighten me - much less for sure - than the gentle Top who taught me on Friday night ........... and I wondered about that and I believe it is because I have an affinity for the Primal - and I DO love how they play - these primals - his and mine.

There is no politeness in the way these primal creatures play - they sweat and they groan and they growl and he forces orgasms out of me - from the pain only - and they don't scare him - he dances around them - he wants more of them ... to his primal I am not some freak - I am just another primal who has come out to play........... 

The play is intense - no toys - just skin against skin - pain rising up to drench my senses .... and his too I am sure... and bruises sprinkled like fairy dust across my thighs, my ass....

And when it's all over he wraps me up tight in a warm blanket - tight in his arms as we both sweat and pant together and come back to this earth together........ bonded in some weird primal way........... 

Shocking!

I have a healthy (maybe irrational) fear of electricity - and any and all electric play.  Tens Units and Violet wands have been on my HARD limit list for ever!

Friday evening as we were all getting ready to head to the dungeon to play... my hard limits were being reviewed........ and I interrupted to say - I might like to try the tens unit - maybe - heart pounding - stomach turning - legs ready to flee.  The Top looked - I am not sure - amused?? pleased???  

And then as they were setting up another hard limit came up -- "no hands around the neck right?? no breath play"  And again - stomach turning - heart pounding - legs ready to flee - I answered - a low stammering "maybe I would like to try "

They were good - no - better than good!  Instead of scaring the subbie to death... each implement with the tens unit was brought out - explained - used on his arm - then on mine (I jumped sky high with each test btw) .......... until they brought out the metal toys... with a look of glee on their faces.

The metal toys fascinated me (shiny - ohhhhhhh it's shiny) and I discovered the metal toys didn't make that distinct hissing electrical sound...... they just got to work.. and oh my god - on my arm - I LOVED it!! 

It was seconds later I was stripped naked - lying on the table holding some cylinder that was needed to complete the circuit and it began.  I held my breath at first as he gently ran the wheel up and down my leg... then as I calmed down - up and down my belly.... 

There came a point that I wanted more and I asked for the intensity to be turned up...
and yet again "more please"... I was loving it.. I murmured it feels just like a knife!!  (and I LOVE knives)

At some point he climbed up on the table behind me and pulled me upright - fitting me into the mold of his body and he did indeed have a knife in his hand.. and it began tracing patterns up and down my belly

Then his hand pushed me forward - so my belly was pressed against the table exposing my back - and the knife worked patterns up and down my back - just barely sliding into the crack of my bum... then back up - each time sending shivers through my entire body - and I was moaning softly in my throat.

He pulled me upright - back into the mold of his body - and his hand stroked the back of my neck - sliding gently sensually around to the front.. barely touching - stroking....... softly gently slowly tightening - not too much - just right.. and the knife continued to trace patterns - and his mouth against my ear kept murmuring encouraging words "good girl" "amazing" "proud of you"... and my body relaxed into his ...... joining with his.. fear disappearing...

Hand over my mouth and nose - near panic - but then I felt the knife again - digging into my flesh - goose bumps rising - heat building in my gut and the hand around my neck - the whispered words in my ear almost forgotten.......

and the long forgotten fairies danced around and called to me... 

His arms held me grounded ... his words continued - he stroked and talked and praised until I was safely back in the here and now.............glowing ... happy.. contented.

Found my Wings..

Sitting here this morning I am desperately trying to find the words to describe the amazing adventure I had this weekend............. I do feel very much like I have found my wings again!

I was invited to spend the weekend with friends.  This wasn't the first time.  I have been before.  It was a time for me to de-stress - to laugh and chat and just be myself for a few hours.  It was in a sense my saving grace.
 
Over the last many months I have been in limbo I guess.... figuring I was going back to vanilla - knowing the last thing I needed/wanted was another D/s relationship - the last one just drained the soul out of me I think.  I had very little interest in playing - I would try to pull up the old desire - but honestly I just couldn't find it.  It was gone.

But over the last few weeks I had started to perv porn again (ok ok you can all close your mouths now - yes sometimes I DO perv porn!!) and the fantasies started to dance around the edges of my mind ... tickling me... and then slipping away again like a mist over the lake... but never gone for long - drifting back - reminding me of who I am at my very core.

I started to wish I could try pushing some of my HARD limits - find out what I was missing - if indeed I was missing anything........ wouldn't know till I tried right??? but then those thoughts would mist over and float away.....

And then - there I was driving to my friends with my imagination working in over drive.  I tried to push the thoughts away - after all - these are friends - with a capital F.  We really hadn't even discussed playing..............What the HELL was I doing!!??

And yes - you have figured it out - smart people......... we did play on Friday night AND again on Saturday night.  I wonder if they saw the need burning inside me - a need I still did not want to acknowledge ...  

Today I am sitting with fairy marks on my thighs and ass that make me smile.. that leave me feeling tingly and warm and right about myself again........ Hopefully in the next few days I will find the words to describe in more detail how so many walls came tumbling down - from flimsy fall over in a soft breeze wall - to built of mortar and bricks strong.  

For now I just need to sort it out - take it from wisps of memories that dance naked in my mind - to grown up intelligent words that make sense ........... For now be happy for me as I have found my wings again.............  

Very Blessed

My Bags are Packed

Yup - my bags ARE packed 

I am off for a little weekend getaway - an adventure if you like.

I'll be back on Monday - everyone enjoy your weekend - play nice and share :)

Teaching

As many of you already know - I spent my career teaching.  It took a lot of degrees and diplomas and hard work to get there...... and I like to think that I was a pretty good teacher (all things considered).

And as many of you already know - I turned in my  teacher's hat 3 years ago and this past year took on a new adventure/career in web design........... very junior to say the least - with no formal training.  (unless you count the week in Ottawa with eldest daughter and some on going tutorials since)

Not everyone can be a teacher........ despite how many folks think it is an easy 10 month of the year job.  It takes a lot of hard work/ planning/and people skills to be able to get your point/lesson across.

All that to come to the point of this morning's entry..............

Yesterday the boss of the company I work for asked me to do her a favour.  They had a project that was due "like yesterday" (which seems to be the way they work - pressure pressure pressure)

I said sure give it to me.............  then she says " well it's a little bit different from what you have been doing" and proceeds (via the miracle of skype and the internet) to show me her working screen.  I saw a slide - something I am familiar with.  Then she whips up another screen that looks like an excel file with text in it.  She proceeds to tell me that even though this is  NOT the project I will be doing - that this is how it works.  And she starts clicking highlighting copying and pasting - so fast I  have no idea what / where/ how.  

I assumed I would be making slides - that's all I have ever done.  NO.... she wanted me to make a text file.  Ok that's not difficult - IF you tell me first what I am gonna be doing...

On the one hand I had slides that were about hazardous materials - the excel text files were about latex and she seemed to be copying and pasting willy nilly hazardous materials into latex.  Are you confused yet?? I sure as hell was.

Finally I got the idea.. the latex page was just a template!!  The hazardous slides were what she needed transformed into straight text.  My mind is wondering where the original text files went and why they weren't just using them... shrug.. mine is not to reason why and all that.

After maybe 20 minutes of a lot of cut and paste - wham bang thank you Ma'am" style she left me on my own.

10 minutes later she is back to me - ooooooops - she made a mistake the file I am working on is not the file she needed "yesterday" would I mind switching to another  file and do that one first.

I did.

About two thirds of the way through - I message her and say "it refuses to save" She doesn't answer - so I keep going.  Finally when I am done - I message again.  This time she says "just save it open text document"  I do and  upload it to her.  

And start working on the next project. I notice in this one that the fonts are all different when I paste them.  I figure out "select all " and change everything to one font and one size and then lo and behold it saves!!!  Now I know what was wrong with the first project.  At this point the boss messages me "I can't open the file"  I try... no success - and trust me I tried everything - used every little trick I have learned about documents.. and nothing:(
She tells ME to see if I can figure it out a solution.

I spend an hour or so........... when she says "it's ok I just redid it" 

GRRRRRRRRRR

She is not a teacher not even close.  I would love to know WHO set up her templates for her.  When I asked if it was excel - cause it looked like excel - she said no just a word document with boxes......... le sigh

There are days I honestly wonder if I am cut out for this job....even though - when left to my own devices with projects I have been taught to do (properly!) and figured out the few glitches on my own (trial and error style) I love it!!!  

It would be a little bit better if I got paid for all the hours that I wasted yesterday - but I only get paid for completed projects...........not mistakes someone else has to redo :(

 

Necessary Shopping Spree

Most people who know me well - know I HATE shopping with a passion.  I will wear my clothes out - literally OUT - before I go shopping.  

BUT - this week I had to break down and head out to the stores.  You see I have been invited to a couple of house parties in the next two weeks....... and both of them involve a pool and swimming.  I haven't been in a swim suit in YEARS!!  In fact when I moved here I don't even think I brought the old one I had knocking around.

Now a number of people have assured me that these parties are "swim suit optional" parties.  (clearing throat) "excuse me - swim suit optional??!!"  My reaction has now got people thinking I am "difficult" - when I asked for a definition of "difficult" I was told "not one of those EASY girls"  I nearly died laughing.

No I guess I am not one of those EASY girls - but I'm not that difficult either.  This whole swim suit thing is a body image issue.  and I don't think/believe I am alone in this.  However - I at least want to start off wearing a nice looking swimsuit - something that hides a multitude of sins.    

So I went looking.  and decided the only swimsuit that was gonna work - gonna make me feel comfortable - was one like this...............

Le sigh........... do you think that will help my "difficult" reputation?? (cheeky grin)

And for those of you interested - yes I found a new one - red and black... and it doesn't look anything like the ones in the picture!  I am hoping the red bits will bolster my confidence - the sales girl said it looked "great" (yeah like I believe a sales girl) ......

BUT then - there's always the slim chance that it will rain and be cold and miserable both weekends right?? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
oh and I almost forgot to mention - a girlfriend and I were having coffee this week - and discussing these up coming parties.  She popped up - went into the other room and returned with a baggie ........ full of............ are you ready for this........ CONDOMS!!

Dear god in heaven - condoms????

Well I guess she doesn't see me as "difficult"........  

Words

I was thinking this weekend about words.  I - for the most part - pick my words carefully - I try to be diplomatic.  (Yeah Yeah - I can be diplomatic you doubters!!)  and mostly I worry about hurting someone with my words - or causing harm.  


But the truth of the matter is....... this is my one place to open my heart and let the words flow..... I welcome comments - even differing opinions... we grow from seeing the opposite side of a discussion - those that don't want to hear any dissenting voices will never grow or expand the way they see things - or the world.  

What you read here (in case you need reminding) is only MY opinion.... like with my piece the other day about after care - where I said sex was good after care.  Not everyone - in fact quite a few - disagree with me.  They believe that BDSM and sex doesn't/shouldn't mix.  Good on you!!!

But I realized when I went to that discussion the other night - and wrote the piece on after care - that I have never really thought about what I need/want in the way of after care... usually I was told what I needed - which isn't quite the same thing.

This new time in my life is allowing me the right to set out what I need and or want... what works for me and what doesn't work for me.... and I am going to take this time to sort out a whole mess of things I never did before.......... (I was such a good subbie/slave I just believed what I was told my needs/wants were)

I guess what I am saying - in a round about way is - that this blog is still The Journey - only now it is a Journey into finding what really matters to me... OH I will probably still bitch and complain from time to time - still shed a tear or two over what was and is no longer...... but for the most part I hope this is more a Journey towards a newer better stronger me!  

Today - Adult Content

You have been warned............

I have - for the last few months - virtually disappeared from BDSM - from the community.  It just didn't feel like I belonged there anymore 

Then last week I guess it was - I noticed an upcoming event - a discussion to take place one evening.  I toyed with the idea of going.  I got an email that suggested perhaps this was a good time for me to re-appear.  So I went.............

The discussion got me thinking about a number of things...... a multitude of things rolling round and round in my head.  

BUT

the one topic that stayed and kept nagging at my weary brain cells was "after care".  I mumbled to a friend sitting opposite me - "best after care is SEX" ...... to which he gave me a thumbs up. 

AND before anyone jumps all over me - yes yes I know BDSM does not have to involve sex........ BUT we are talking about after care (were talking about after care) and what it means to individuals.

I am prone to take massive hard beatings - sometimes with some edge play - like knives and/or needles thrown in for good measure.  

When I am cut down - let loose - I tend to wander off by myself - i am so deep inside my own head (oh the pretty colours!!)  I don't want or need anyone near me.  BUT sometime later - who knows how much later - another beast awakens inside me.  A burning desire for sex - to be fucked - to be "real" again - to have contact with another body - another human being.

In all my years in BDSM - with all the partners I have played with both Tops and Dominants - I have never actually had that fantasy fulfilled.  I say fantasy because that is what it has become.

Usually after care for me was a cigarette - a shawl or a blanket if I was cold - and a pat on the back or a soft drink if my sugars were low.  Now don't get me wrong - I do not crave or need being babied after a scene.  I don't want to be rolled up in a blanket and cuddled to death.  But it occurred to me after this discussion - that it would be nice to be fucked silly after a scene/play time. 
It also occurred to me after this discussion - that it would be nice to have some nice rough kinky sex.  (are you shocked?? )

I am sure - with my past partners - that they went home after a grueling session with me and fucked their brains out with their significant others.  Some (without partners) may have masturbated to the memories of the evening - or to porn (shrug) who knows.  I tended to suffer through days of sub drop - of looking at the marks on my body and wondering what the hell possessed me??!!  (of course - after a couple of nice hot bubble baths - and many sessions with my trusty vibrator I was right as rain and ready to rock and roll once again)

There was one Top I played with for awhile.  A big burly guy.  We would play hard  - often for an hour or more (sometimes twice a night) ........ and the best memories I have of playing with him - was when He would push his body up tight against mine - pinning me to whatever apparatus I happened to be tied to........ I loved the feel of his hot sweaty body against mine - feel his muscles - his skin - his breath on my neck.  That brief moment would reconnect me to the him - to reality - to the world.  It was like 'after care' mid scene.  (oh and just so you know - no there was never any fucking afterwards - his wife took care of that for him - I had my vibrators remember)

Yeah maybe it was time for me to step back into the lifestyle - on the fringes - get me thinking - get my blood flowing again - and bring back the fantasies and the passion that has so long been absent.  Thank you my friend for saying the right words to bring me out ...... and get me talking and thinking ... again.
 
 

Setting the Story Straight........

 I have received a couple of comments that I have decided not to post - I hope the commenters will forgive me.  But honestly I don't want to upset W more than I have already........right or wrong ... W is still the man who filled my life with joy and laughter and love for 15 years. 

And as Reaperscreature said on "Maybe" you really only do have my version as to what has gone on here..words coming from pain and hurt....SO.. it really isn't fair to judge W based on that. In his defense he has been by my side through the good times and pretty awful beastly times - the medical tests, the surgeries, the pain, the fear...he held my hand and my heart.


Since the "Maybe" blog - W has given me back the money he promised and has moved to the other bedroom.  I went looking for apartments (again) and yes I did find one - a very nice one - in a residential area - all clean and sparkly - BUT - I am not ready to give up on THIS relationship - roommates and friends - without giving it a damn good try!!

I am hoping that we can find our way to roommates and friends.  To finding the laughter and the joy together again.  You know the very first thing I really liked about W was how he could make me laugh!! 

OH we will never be Dom/sub again - never be lovers again - but being friends is a good place.  and I would like to see if we can get there again.

And there you have it.. an update.... 

 

Maybe??

There is so much noise going on in my head - it hurts - deafens - distracts me.

Some days are ok around here - just ok.... 

But my emotions are still going up and down - worst than a roller coaster.  Some days it feels as though nothing has changed - BUT they have changed .........drastically.  

I think maybe?? our still sharing the same bedroom - same bed - is playing games with my head.... Maybe ??? he should move to the other room - with his furniture and his clothes.. and his stuff....... maybe??

Maybe his still giving me little gifts is fucking with my head.....the MG insigna - the bracelet - the panda..... maybe??? 

And when he suggests how I should do something.... I have to learn it's not a criticism - I don't have to "obey" anymore and I most certainly don't have to feel guilty because I don't do it his way..........maybe??

I know everyone (friends and family) are waiting for me to move out........ and I keep thinking about it........ but then I panic - what if I can't make ends meet?? Do I have to move to some area of the city that I don't know - into a cheap apartment - cut back even more to have freedom - to please everyone waiting for me to do IT....... ??? maybe I should ........ and damn the consequences maybe??

Maybe I should grow a backbone and ask for the money he promised me so I can try to move out - and on with my life ....... maybe??

I think I need to learn to communicate better - to tell HIM what I need...... mostly space I think (right now) ........ and I need to learn he isn't mine any more - and can come and go and do things he wants without my judging or becoming upset......... after all - it's HIS life right ? not mine and he isn't asking me to do those things right??

And I keep thinking - if it wasn't for Him I would never have moved here ........... I would have looked/investigated and I would have realized that I couldn't possibly afford to live here........ not on my own.. by myself.  And now - between cancer doctors and friends and loving the city - I don't want to move ......... anywhere.  

At the beginning I didn't want things to change - and he said they wouldn't ........BUT they had to change didn't they ??? So maybe now it's time for some forward motion -

Maybe?? 


 

Summer is Here!!

And I know this because 1) the festivals have started up and 2) its FINALLY sunny and hot!!

 On Saturday I decided to head downtown and take in the Busker's festival.  I also had a photo challenge (from my photography group) "water".  Downtown is on the water front and I was sure I would find something suitable.

Anyway I headed downtown around noon - hottest time of the day.  And a line from an old song kept running through my head.... "Mad dogs and English men go out in the noon day sun"

I think I will save the photos from the Buskers for another day and just share you with you some shots I took both at the water front and then later in the afternoon at a conservation area....... 

I do try and get original shots - water has brought out shot after shot of the lake - of the waterfalls... of swimmers.. of bridges....... I so wanted something a little different....... 

I took this shot of the fountain...............

 
and then the kid in me couldn't resist a mud puddle.............

And then out at the conservation area I shot a few shots of the edge of the bay........ 

 
 and finally just some shots of nature........

it felt good to be shooting again - so who knows - maybe I will get back to doing it more...
 

Sunday Sentiments

I keep telling myself that - one day I may believe it!

Busy Bee

I have  been busy with this web design job..... and gardening........... and never shared some of the pictures I took from our Canada Day Celebrations......... 

 So (because I am putting off going to the gym - feeling lazy) I thought this would be a good time to share.............. 


I like to go the very beginning of the parade - and take shots of everyone milling around getting ready.........Our parade is called the Red and White People parade and basically everyone is encouraged to march in it.  Not a whole lot of marching bands - baton twirling - clowns etc that one sees in other parades - but it is quite truthfully a parade of the people....

  
somehow all the mass confusion comes together and the parade begins............

There are a number of "post parade" celebrations one can attend - this year I decided to head 20 minutes out of town to Grass Creek Park and join in the family celebrations.... 


There were kite demonstrations - complete with workshops for all the kiddies to make their own kites... 

 then there was:

theater

mini golf

face painting

and swimming  

and then as black clouds started to threaten - some of us "oldies" decided it was a good time to head home.............

Dreams.....

Two years ago I put in a BIG oriental-ish garden in the backyard.  I had such dreams back then of garden parties - barbeques - sitting in the shade of my big red umbrella reading in the afternoons.

The problem with a BIG garden is that it takes a lot of work - whether you feel like it or not..

And by the end of last summer I wasn't feeling like it... there had been no barbeques - no garden parties - just me outside reading.........

Needless to say there hasn't been a lot of enthusiasm towards the garden this summer... I only got out yesterday to start working on it... trimming back the winter kill... digging out the mounds of weeds...

The other problem with my back garden is we back on to a green space...forest.. with tons of undergrowth which grows through the back fence - and bugs... especially mosquitoes.

I am allergic to mosquitoes - and none of the damn sprays work! 

This morning I tried to work away at the mess that once was a beautiful dream - a beautiful garden,  I got to the back fence ...... started digging and was attacked by BIG man eating mosquitoes!!  I kid you not!

I lasted as long as I could - swatting and digging and swatting some more.  I watched as big red welts came up on my arms... I could feel them on my neck and head.  After an hour I was miserable - close to tears and itching so badly I thought I would rip my skin off.

I started putting everything away

W came around the back and cracked a funny (I guess) said "what you finished already?!"

It all went down hill from there... 

I landed up after he left  sitting on the front deck as far away from my garden and mosquitoes and dreams - and cried.

Some days are just not good days 
 


 

Proud of Me

One of the things some of you might not know about me - is that I suffer from a mild form of agoraphobia (simply explained - where I am happiest not going out ) So this whole wedding trip was really pushing my limits.......... 

Especially on the Saturday morning when I decided I was going to take my camera and go wander around this strange city and take photos........ go out on my own - in a strange city - with no safety net.  BUT I did it!!  and not just for an hour then rush back to the safety and confines of my hotel room....... nope I spent virtually the whole morning out and about (and nothing BAD happened !!)

Here's some shots (proof) I took in and about this new strange city.........

The waitress at breakfast told me to get in my car - take the first right and drive straight on and I would come to the waterfront - a "sight to behold" I guess ... and it probably is on a nice sunny warm summer day.  However it was dark and cold and windy on Saturday with a misty rain falling .......... 

This was the first thing I came across after parking my car at the water front......

 would you believe there was a scuba diving class going on???  

 the water was rough and uninviting - but I actually saw some kiddies paddling down by the beach!

and there were boaters........

 I continued along the water front and came across this pretty lil park complete with duck pond ... and ducks.  Now usually I don't take duck pictures - everyone seems to take ducks - but I couldn't resist these two shots......

This guy was really in a snit - and telling everyone who would listen........  

and this guy couldn't be bothered getting involved in all the nonsense !!

 And then I veered away from the water front and walked into the town itself for a bit...

 couldn't help but wonder who would drink beer made by "flying monkeys"
 

 
and then just some shots from here and there...

then it was time to head back to the hotel (now where was it again??!!!  thank god for GPS), lunch and the wedding.