Lobster Shorts The Great Outdoors

Metal Detecting At The Beach

I bought a metal detector yesterday. I always thought they were so neat. I’ve heard stories about finding jewelry, money, and antiques, secrets in the sand.

I chose Canadian Tire’s cheapest option (it was on sale for $109.00) and tested it out on the lawn. I found an old hunk of metal and ripped up the lawn looking for it. I don’t think I would have noticed any difference with a more expensive model, but then again, I’ve never used one before. This one seems to work fine.

Today was the day when I would find my own hidden treasures. I went to Port Albert… I found rebar, twice! I moved down to Grand Bend to try my luck there… rusty nails!

I didn’t find any treasures this time around, but it was fun and I can’t wait to try again. If you have any suggestions of good places to try metal detecting, please let me know!

Lobster Shorts The Great Outdoors

Carp Cam!

I briefly gave the new Akaso camera a try, underwater in the Owen Sound harbor. The water is so clear there! This quick clip was taken by my boyfriend. The fish were huge. I am really happy with the camera. I didn’t have the microphone on the last time, you can hear sound through the underwater case (I previously mentioned you couldn’t, in another post). I can’t wait to try it out more.

Lobster Shorts lifestyle, The Great Outdoors

Snorkeling Lake Erie

I recently purchased a full face snorkel mask, and action camera from Amazon. I tried them for the first time at Lake Erie, a couple days ago. I’ve only used the traditional snorkel that you stuck in your mouth. I’ve never felt like I could breathe very well and a lot of times I would get water down the snorkel.

The full face mask was better, I could even dive under the water and fully submerge the mask without water getting in the intake valve, but it did leak slightly around my forehead. There was a lot of pressure on my face when I dove under the water. My boyfriend’s mask didn’t leak at all and when we switched he didn’t have any problems. It must be the shape of my face. I still feel like I can’t breathe very well in it and had to take it off a lot, but I think I’ll adjust to it. I haven’t don’t much snorkeling in my life and need to get used to it.

I like the camera a lot. It has a case for under water, which prevents any sound coming through, but I’m okay with that. The water was too murky to be able to test it properly, but from what it did catch, I think it did pretty good. The mask has an attachment on the breathing tube for the camera and it attached easily. The whole breathing tube nozzle came off and I am so lucky I noticed it (that’s when you get the butt shot of my boyfriend). I will check to make sure the nozzle is attached properly next time and see if it happens again.

Lobster Shorts lifestyle, Uncategorized

I Quit Drinking

I decided to quit alcohol today. No particular reason. I was having breakfast this morning and the idea popped into my head, and I rolled with it. I would say I drink about 4 alcoholic drinks per week, usually wine and mostly while I’m writing letters, or messing around online.

I was really into wine for years. I would make it at home, or have it made at the wine shops (depending on if I felt like cleaning up after myself or not. Making wine is MESSY). I loved trying new drinks at the LCBO. I enjoy it, but I’m ready for a lifestyle change, and booze is on my hit list.

I watched a Ted Talk with a guy talking about The 100% Rule and what he said made a lot of sense to me. I was considering only drinking at social, or special occasions and I really wanted to try a shot of gin before hiking (I’ve heard it’s an amazing bug repellent). This guy made a lot of sense to me. He’s all about jumping all the way in, or your failure rate increases. I would probably go back to my regular habits of drinking alcohol throughout the week, if I didn’t cut it out completely.

So I’m jumping all the way in, no more alcohol. I feel good about it.

Update: This lasted about two months.

Lobster Shorts Plants, Uncategorized

Plants Plants Plants

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I love plants. I dream of owning a huge greenhouse with a water feature. I would live in a greenhouse if I could. I don’t know how practical that is here in Canada, but I’d like to try. After all, they do have year round butterfly conservatories (yes I would for sure have butterflies in my greenhouse).

I wonder about having butterflies in a typical home. I think you could do it with swallow tails, you can feed them from food you can get all year in the grocery stores. How magical would that be? This year I raised painted ladies and monarchs and released them outdoors once they turned into butterflies (I still have two more monarchs in a chrysalis). I would love to try hummingbird moths too. They are so neat! Maybe one for the greenhouse.

My home is full of plants, indoor tropicals are irresistible to me. I love love love going to the plant nurseries and greenhouses in my area. I’m bringing the outdoors indoors and I think it’s great. Plants clean the air and soothe my soul. I love being surrounded by plants and living in an indoor garden. I wish I had more windowsills…

Lobster Shorts finances, lifestyle, Uncategorized

Think It And It Will Be.

Manifest Your Dreams…

Many of us have heard of The Law Of Attraction. I watched the movie years ago, was motivated to give it a go, and then forgot all about it. I’m not convinced that this will magically turn all my dreams into a reality, but I’m also not convinced that it wont.

When I think of money, I think of horrible, old men, in old fashioned lawyers wigs (you know, the curly, long white wigs, and no, I have no idea why), and maybe that’s part of the problem. With negative associations with money, possibly I’m subconsciously repelling it from me. How can I attract something into my life that I have an aversion to?

I’m working on this. Associating money with panicked feelings of lack, are only going to perpetuate more bad feelings towards it. Now when I think of money, I consciously think of it with gratitude and positivity. I think of all the good things it can do for me, instead of focusing on what it’s like to not have enough of it.

I have fairly decent sized debt I’m focusing on paying off and there’s this tiny little thing I really want (a houseboat!). My goal is to tackle the debt first, then save for the boat. I’ve been reading a lot of financial books and it’s helping keep me motivated. They all say to stop buying crap you don’t need (guilty, guilty, guilty). I’m fully aware I do this, but after a few months I fall back on bad habits. Hobbies are a huge problem for me. If I get interested in something I’ll buy a ton of stuff for said hobby and then a few months later I’ll be bored of it. I’m going to need to read financial books until the day I pay my debt off completely. I’m OK with that.

Instead of using stuff, I’m focusing on experiences and being in the moment, to make me happy. Acquiring things has only ever made me temporarily happy (and cluttered up my home). I look forward to being free of debt and enjoying living my best life.