Where I hopefully WON'T be for x-mas!!!!

I don't have any fun pics yet. Since we're on site everyday we aren't allowed to take pics because everything is evidence...but i'll try to get out some fun ones soon. Start crossing those fingers for x-mas kids!!!!! We're so far scheduled to be on scene til wednesday but you done never know with these darn spills. :) The birds apparently don't observe Christmachanakwanzakah....perhaps this should be the year they begin. I'll send around a pamphlet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/nyregion/18spill.html

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1134886989232600.xml&coll=1

Holidays make me smile

When Lisa married Mikey i gain many things. Happiness for Lisa, a brother, a new neice or nephew, and a vast extended Family. I think i have blogged about all these things except the last one. Today is the day i will honor my new extended family. Not only are they some of the sweetest people i have ever met but they also know how to make a girl laugh (just to name a few of their wonderful traits). I recieved a very special x-mas card in the mail today from Mikey's sister Cecelia, who is one of my favorite Garvey's ofcourse. I might have wet my pants a little when i opened this wonderful gesture of holiday cheer. I felt it very important to share with all of you! Enjoy!!! MERRY X-MAS!!!

If this doesn't make you giggle you need to work on your holiday cheer!

Thanks Cecelia! Best card EVER!

Oh Christmas Tree...

I took a ride to a local tree vendor and it happened to be a boyscout troop hosting the tree sales. I thought to myself "self, you should really get your tree here, it's for a good cause". I pulled over and ventured toward the gate. I was met by a very nice 12 yr old boyscout who told me what troop they were from. I was very nice and said hello, and continued to walk. I guess i didn't realize that my tree picking endeavor included a full tour and commentary from a boyscout. He followed me around the WHOLE time making nonsense small talk and telling me which tree was which. Now i bet he was required to walk around with me and assist me but it gave me picking anxiety. I felt like i had to choose ASAP so i could drop the boyscout and get my tree home, pronto! I wasn't sure i was going to be as happy with our tree because my decision was so impulsive, but then i got it home and put it up. Needless to say i was happy with my decision ultimately.

Not bad boyscouts not bad

All pretty and lit up in the dark

Thanks for the tree topper pier one

Some ornaments coutesy of mom

A little memorabilia if you will

A look at the tree from the living room....soo pretty

You done good boyscouts, i take all the baddness back. Thanks!

Winter Wonderland...

I know i mentioned i love the fall...but i'm now bumping that for now because i REALLY love winter too! Delaware has turned out to be not so bad when it comes to the fluffy stuff. It doens't stick around as long as it does in b-lo but maybe thats a good thing. We got our x-mas tree today. It's FANTASTIC!!! I can't tell you how much i love getting the tree and putting on the lights and ornaments . I'll have some great pics in the next few days. The best part is turning off all the lights when it is all done and sitting on the couch, realizing how fabulous your tree looks..and it means Christmas is coming!!!!!!!!! I'm a sucker for the holidays and yes i will admit it. :)

Some nice snowy pics of Tri-State right after what they call a big storm.

Ps this snow was gone by 2pm. ;)

Looking over the flight cages

behind the center

A whole 3 inches of snow...CRAZY!

The weird crooked tree i alway make fun of....I need to take a chainsaw to it before it kills someone

Yep that thermometer says 43 degrees, your eyes do not decieve you. Thats really cold for Delaware...brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...get out the long underwear!

One of the perks of my job

Looks like my leg doesn't it? Looks like poop on it doesn't it?

Well guess what, both are true! Not only is it poop, it's explosive poop, explosive Loon poop. The WORST poop EVER! One of my fav pair of pants. It's a scary thought that i had to double bag them and take them home. I'm dreading the moment i have to go to the laundry mat and pull these bad boys out for all to see. Not to mention i don't want to wash them with ANYTHING else. It's a tough decision, suck up the extra $1.25 for one pair of pants or be cheap and put them in with other things...GROSS!

pay back is a B&^*H!

I may or may not have left my camera down in the clinic the other day. When it was oh so kindly returned to me Sarah had an odd grin on her face. I soon figured out why. It seems Sarah and Andrea decided to have a little fun with it. They thought they were very funny and got away with a good prank, but they had no idea i have leaverage. Little to their knowledge I am posting these gorgeous pictures for the world to see. So thanks girls...this post is going to be a funny one!

The dynamic duo....Sarah and Andrea

Andrea's nose ring...kinda looks like a booger

Is there something i should know about you guys? Is this your way of telling me?

And last but ofcourse not least...we have the twins...aren't you glad you screwed around with my camera ladies....God knows i am!

Turkey day in the boof...

I spent the turkey holiday in a very fond place. It was a GREAT weekend of family friends fun, and a little mischief. I have to say #1 on my memory list is going to be Lisa and Mikey's announcement about their little Harvey. Who's surprised that they are preggers? Not many but SHIT are we excited!!!! WEE!

Ok a little photo journalism of my journey home....enjoy!

This was my welcome home banner

Buffalo does look damn pretty in the snow!

Sorry mom, I know you got it washed the day before, there aren't any garages on Lancaster Ave. :)

Annie has temperature regulation issues...count 'em 5 blankets!

Mo'in it up at Q with Nicole, Marc, Louie, and Walline

No there is no baseball here, just tree's...E. Aurora can raise some sweet ass trees

The new mom and dad!!!!! ps, Lisa you're lookin a little green :)

A gorgeous view on our way to find the perfect tree

Baby Julia, one b-e-a-u-tiful girl

I may have a chainsaw license but i can also keep it real and take down a tree with bow saw like the best of them. My next job will be lumberjack...you should have seen the cut on this tree...HOT....and damn i'm lookin fine too! Me at my finest!

A little foreshadowing if you will

The Christmas tree crew

Bring on the mischief!

Nicolette andPetey McPerterton

Tearin it up at 67 West

Pete and Jeff, two homey GQ's in my book

And last but NOT least. We have miss thang who decided to go to the worlds largest disco in 19 degree weather and she done forgot her pants!!! thank god for those leg warmers or we would have had to amputate the whole leg. Right after i took this pic she picked her wedgie. I snapped this one right on time. God i love thanksgiving!

Eagles are enjoyable

The infamous Kim Steinenger has again graced us with some fantstical pics of some Bald Eagles (BAEA) down in Conowingo. Apparently at this time of year you cna see up to 200 at a time in a specific area. Again, it may not be exciting to some but the bird nerd inside me is very excited. :)

An adult with a fresh catch and a juvenile looking for a treat.

The juvenile is trying pretty hard

Eagles don't suck :)

HARVEY GARVEY!!!!!

I'm going to be an aunt. I'm not really sure it's hit me yet but man this year is really turning out to be an emotional one!!!! Mikey and Lisa i could'nt be happier for you!

Ps.....when lisa and mike showed this pic to my grama, she immediatly looked at me and said... "IT BETTER NOT BE YOU!" Thanks for the confidence grama. This babe is def a Garvey...no worries there!!!! YAAAAYYY!!!!!

Coast Guard pics of the barge

Iceberg straight ahead!!!

The night before last, this bad boy took in a little too much water and rolled right over. The yellow stuff around it is boom. It's function is to keep the oil contained in one area. As you can see it's not really doing it's job. Heidi says it looks like the boom is anchored to the boat, which is not a brilliant idea when the boat goes and capsizes on ya. OOPS..

There goes the boat and the boom. WEE

A little bit further under

Out comes the nasty stuff..yuck

As you can see the boom didn't get put out right...the sheen goes out quite a ways. Oh and ps we found out today that this boat went out on thursday night...at some point they hit something..which no one knows when...and they did not "realize" they were listing in the water and loosing product until SUNDAY!!! So potentially they could have been discharging crap since thursday. Awsome. Since it's such a heavy yucky oil it's slightly submerged and very hard to see, and virtually impossible to clean. The threat for birds is not as serious as the threat to sea turtles and those of the like. So those in the field right now have quite the job on their hands.

One week til Turkey eve!!! WOOHOO!!!

Say a little prayer...gobble gobble

Aight everyone...i need a little help here. Whoever you talk/pray/meditate to: god, buddha, allah, Jesus, Jahovah, maybe even superman. Turkey eve and turkey day are 2 of my most fav holidays EVER. And ofcourse i am not trying to be ungrateful but i'm lookin for a little help to make my trip home for this wonderful holiday very possible. There is some action goin on in Texas at the moment. Our boss told us to pay all our bills and get our bags ready just in case. Hopefully they won't need wildlife people for a little while though. Cross your Fingers! The perfect situation is they would call the day after turkey day! Take a look...it's a doosey! Enjoy!

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Crews cleaning up oil spill from damaged barge

PORT ARTHUR, Texas (AP) — About 10,000 gallons of thick, heavy oil had leaked from a damaged oil barge about 30 miles off the coast of Louisiana as crews worked Sunday to contain the spill, the Coast Guard said.

The vessel contained about 5 million gallons of a thick petroleum product known as number-six fuel oil, and the damaged tank was holding about 300,000 gallons of oil, the Coast Guard said.

The barge left Houston shortly before midnight Thursday en route to Tampa, Fla. But the 441-foot vessel hit debris in the water that gouged a 30-foot by 6-foot hole in the starboard bow, and early Friday crew members called the Coast Guard when they noticed the barge was slightly listing south of Lake Charles.

The Coast Guard said Sunday that underwater surveys had shown that oil continued to leak from the barge and black patches of oil extended three miles southwest of the vessel. Cleanup operations were expected to continue throughout the night, the Coast Guard said.

Mike Hanson, a spokesman for Staten Island, N.Y.-based K-Sea Transportation, which owns the barge, said Sunday the leak appeared to be intermittent because the oil was thick and sticky. He said National Response Corp. contractors hired by K-Sea had placed 2,000 feet of containment boom around the barge to contain the spill and skimmers were on the scene to remove surface oil.

"It's more like a molasses coming out of the refrigerator," he explained. "They'll keep going until it's cleaned up."

He said the barge wasn't expected to sink. K-Sea had assessed stability and dive and salvage efforts were ongoing Sunday.

Coast Guard, vessel salvage and pollution response personnel responded.
The Coast Guard, which was overseeing cleanup efforts, said the barge didn't obstruct marine traffic and all area waterways remained open. A four-mile safety zone was in effect around the barge.

The cause of the incident is being investigated by Coast Guard officials.

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UPDATE - BARGE CAPSIZES DURING THE NIGHT

PORT ARTHUR, Texas – At approximately 11:30 p.m. Monday the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 capsized. Progressive flooding had caused the barge to roll onto its starboard side Monday at about 4:30 p.m.

Responders are working to stabilize the barge as the weather front moves into the area. Salvage and oil clean-up operations will continue as long the weather safely permits. There were approximately 300 thousand gallons of oil in the damaged tank. The amount of oil that leaked out is unknown at this time. Approximately two thousand feet of containment boom is in place around the barge to contain the spill, and oil skimmers are on scene to remove the surface oil. An additional 1,800 feet of containment boom is being stage on scene as a precaution.

The double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 struck some debris Thursday night while en route from Houston to Tampa, Fla. The debris gouged a 35-foot long by 6-foot wide hole in the barge's starboard bow, puncturing both hulls and damaging the number one cargo tank. The double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 was carrying almost 5 million gallons of a thick, heavy petroleum product known as number-six fuel oil. The 441-foot barge is now at position 29 12.3 degrees north, 093 28.14 degrees west, about 29 miles due south of the Calcasieu Pass, La. and about 100 miles due east of Galveston, Texas. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Capt. Sharon Richey, is advising fishermen not to fish in the vicinity of 29 8.8 degrees north, 093 14.9 degrees west, approximately 32 miles south of the Calcasieu Pass, La. There is a strong possibility of heavy grade oil floating partially submerged or on the bottom in the area due to the spill from the tank barge DBL 152. The double-hulled tank barge DBL 152, owned by K-Sea Transportation of New York, is not obstructing marine traffic, and all area waterways remain open. A four-mile safety zone is in effect around the barge. The cause of the incident is under investigation by the Coast Guard.

OPERATION TURKEY DAY!!!!!!!

40 days til x- :)mas

8 days til RENT

9 days til turkey day....I HOPE!

If you didn't already know...i work with birds

Here it is sunday and my day began at 4:15am. This is when i got up in order to be ready for my boss to pick me up at 5 to go see 12,000 snow geese. I know this does not sound fun to the normal person but this was a very cool oppurtunity for us bird nerds since the geese only pass through at this specific time every year. We piled in her car, i personally napped, drove to Bombay Hook. We had to arrive before sunrise because the geese hang out in the water at night and once the sun rises they take off and go feed on ground. But at night they all congregate together in one place and create a sea of white on the water. Very cool. I got some great pics with my camera.

Sea of white

Taking off

up up and away

Thats a whole-lotta Snow Geese

more off to go eat

Butterfly in the sky....

I can go twice as high....

Take a look...it's in a book..on reading.......sorry i got carried away :)

GBHE..great blue heron, in a tree

Last but not least ...the sunrise

proof i was up before sunrise....see it's possible! I just need a really good reason :)