A Likely Story!

Sam and Munchkin Come Home

Woke up this morning at 6 am and was afraid to go downstairs, uncertain of what I might find after last night's problems.

Nothing like starting your day by seeing two smiling puppy faces and two waggly puppy tails as you walk into the kitchen.

While Munckin was somewhat better, she still had the projectile sneezing going on. And Sam had some coughing as well. So I bundled them into the truck and dropped them by the Humane Society as soon as their doors opened.

Long story short and ending happily...they did have kennel cough and when I got them after work was given medicine for both of them for the next 10 days.

It was a fuzzy reunion complete with hugs and kisses and more waggly tails. The slept all the way home and continue to sleep even as I type.

Life is wonderful in Kathyland tonite :-)

Sick Puppies

Returned from my DFA meeting to find I had sick puppies waiting for me at home. Very sick puppies.

Besides being filthy and smelly from bodysurfing in poop which covered her from head to paw, Munchkin sounded like she had a lake in her head. Every time she shook her head...which she did incessantly...all this gross brownish liquid came spraying out of her nose. All she could do was sneeze and spray and shiver and spray some more. And all Sam could do was cough and cough and cough.

Is it too late to advise you might not want to eat while you read this post?

Did I mention they had gone bodysurfing in poop?

Between bathing them, dealing with the Munchkin projectile nasal spray, Sam coughing and getting totally soaked ALL AT THE SAME TIME I was really close to losing it.

To add to the frustration, there is no emergency # for my Humane Society. Called 3 Humane Society numbers and couldn't get a single live person. So I called the # for sick and injured animals, got the Sherriff's Dispatch office, and they connected me with the County Vet. And while he couldn't see Munchkin or Sam (since the County does not deal with the Humane Society) he did assure me that is sounds like Kennel Cough is the ailment and they would both be ok thru the night. I should add that I am not allowed to take my Fosters to a non-Humane Society vet...in case some of you think I am slacking off on this.

Now of course if one of them were bleeding profusely or the vet on the phone said take them to any vet asap, I would have done so in an instant. Would have had to pay for any and all treatment (and most likely not be reimbursed for it) but I would have done it regardless.

Keep in mind the last time I had Foster Puppies one of them had to be put down due to a genetic defect. I do not want to go down that road of having yet another sick puppy on my watch...don't want to even THINK about it.

Anyway, the puppies are sleeping wrapped in warmed towels in a clean cage and I have changed into dry clothes. Even tho they are sleeping very peacefully, I am afraid to close my eyes tonite. I want it to be morning in the worst way so I can take them into their vet.

Keeping these little ones happy and healthy is my prime concern. And while I am sorta sure they will be ok...the vet is very sure...this whole episode has freaked me out.

So thanks for letting me vent to all 2 of you.

Tonite will be a long night here in Kathyland.

It was nice while it lasted...

Within 5 minutes of writing my last post, Munchkin went on a massive pooping spree, Sam started a high-pitched wailing solo for no reason..or at least none that I can figure...and the guy I was hoping would be around for awhile, won't be.

Sigh.

Time for a shot of Jager before I call tonite quits.

I've had a wonderful day :-)

Took the day off from work to help The Florida Grassroots Project with Voter's Registration for Palm Beach County High Schools.

WOW!

Where do I start?

The school I was assigned to was north of WPB, had about 90 Seniors, 45 of whom were on campus...26 of them registered, and 25 of them registered as Democrats. I started my shift with two guys who said (to quote them) "Couldn't fucking wait to register so I can vote Bush out of office"! The other said his mom and dad have nightly debates at the kitchen table about the harm that Bush has done to this country and he was SO PROUD that he gets to register to vote so he can do his part to 'dismantle the Evil Empire".

Seeing that I was representing a non-partisan group all I could do was sit there and smile...but what I really wanted to do was shout "Way to go, Dude...you really get it!!" It gave me hope, it made me smile and with each and every kid that approached my table, more and more talked about their eagerness to 'do my part to change things'.

I really needed to hear this today.

So many times I attend my weekly DFA meeting and wonder on the drive home 'what did we accomplish..what did I accomplish'?

And after today, I know what it feels like to have actually MADE A DIFFERENCE in someone's life...and hopefully in our country's future.

Could my day get any better?

What is an hour on the internet worth?

Was about to log on over an hour ago. Then I hear this voice in my head shout 'ENOUGH! Aren't you on the damn internet way too much as it is? What could you do with this next hour if you weren't on the internet'?

Hmmm...good question.

So here's what I did...

* Cleaned out my purse, replaced gum and Alleve in their respective places, threw out the Nordy's gift certificate I was waiting to spend...waited too long..it expired 3/15-bummer!, emptied all the receipts I had accumulated this week for filing, organized my $ in descending order.

* Cleaned out and restocked my toiletry travel container...now I am ready to fly to Boston or Paris or Australia on a moment's notice.

* Cleaned out my medicine cabinet and took all the prescriptions and cold medicine-related packaging on the top shelf and stuck it away in a really cute (and empty) toiletry bag. This way, every time I open my medicine cabinet I will look at a streamlined and aesthetic display of products that I use without having to see the Benadryl and Vicks and other non-aesthetically packaged remedies.

* Cleaned out and decluttered underneath both sinks in my Master Bath.

* Washed a load of darks.

* Folded the puppy towels in the drier.

* Re-made the bed in the guest room, vacuumed and dusted as well.

* Washed a load of medium colors.

* Folded the load of darks.

* Put fresh towels in the Guest Bath, washed sinks and cleaned mirrors.

* Washed sinks and mirrors in Master Bath

* Showered and am letting hair air-dry (since it is a weekend)

Wow...not too shabby.

I should try staying off the internet more often....

Yeah...as if!

What DOES this mean??

Ok, I 'm watching Divine Design on HGTV tonite and in this episode Candace makes over a kitchen for a family with 5 cooks...yeah, in my dreams! The 5 cooks part, I mean!

Part of the color scheme of the 'after' is a splash of orange in the kitchen. And the first thing I think is :

'hmmm....not as pale as the orange on dailykos but not as dark as the orange on museworld'.

Me? Blog too much??

Nahhh....

Puppy Update...

These pooches are total snoozehounds! Way YAY!!!!!

They slept all the way thru their first night...finally woke them up when I went downstairs at 8. Was pleasantly suprised to find a clean cage as well. Whoa...puppies that sleep and hold it all night. Thank you God! Especially since cleaning up puppy poop totally grosses me out...the only down side to being a Foster Mommy.

Munchkin in particular is always sleeping. She has the cutest habit of hanging out of her cozy sheepskin bed head first...at one point I had to wake her up cause she was just about standing on her head while sleeping. And Sam just loves to cuddle up with Munchkin, throw his right arm around her and snore to his heart's content. (Cue 'awwwwww' sound effect right about now!)

The puppies are happy, the puppy mommy is thrilled, and on that note, we three wish you sweet dreams and nitey-nite.

And please don't pee in your bed!

I Have Puppies!

I Have Puppies! YAY!!!

Some of you know that I have been a Humane Society Volunteer since Oct 2001.

Was a Kennel Guide for 2 years and in the last year have segued into the Foster Parent program. Foster Parents provide care for abandoned or surrended puppies or kittens that are too young to be adopted out into the mainstream population.

I am a Foster Mommy for the Puppies (since I am waaaay allergic to cats) and I just brought my 5th set home about 45 minutes ago...they are snoozing while I blog. What good little puppies!!

For those of you that don't know me personally (which means I haven't already bored to you tears with my ongoing puppy stories), here's my history of canine boarders.

Kasey and Jake...two Sheppard-Rottie mixes that I brought home at 3 weeks. Kasey, who resembled a Sheppard, was totally the Alpha Dog, terrorizing her little brother Jake, who was pure Rottie. Given the ferocious reputations that Rottweilers have (which is rarely justified IMHO) it was comical to see Jake running away from Kasey and into my lap where he would attempt to hide from his holy terror sister. Took them back at 5 weeks once their teeth were in (BOY, were their teeth in) and they were eating solid food.

Amy and Zoe - two 6-week old Yellow Lab sisters....absolute terrors to each other while they were awake...absolute angels while they slept. And incredibly smart puppies to boot! Kept them for 2 weeks.

Noah and Genny - two 4-week old Maltese/Border Collie mixes...and two of the fuzziest dogs I have ever been around....way huge fuzziness (and cuteness) factor. Very very very sweet-natured and well-behaved as well...probably the most well-behaved puppies to date.

Kody and Zack - what started out as a brother-sister Black Lab/Pointer mix made in heaven ended sadly when we had to put Zack to sleep due to a genetic esophogeal defect where he couldn't keep his food down. Incredibly sad when I got the news...left work hysterical that day and Kody wasn't much better for the next several days. Zack's nickname was "The Little Angel"...cause he was the most angelic little dog I had ever met....guess it was true in more ways than one.

That leads me to the latest couple sleeping downstairs.

This is the first pair I've had that weren't litter-mates. Sam is a 5 week old yellow lab mix...looks like he's mixed with a white lab, and Munchkin is the CUTEST little Chihuahua-Boston Terrier mix...she looks like a pot-bellied pig and grunts like one too! Was gonna call her Shannon but when I finally got her to crawl out of her cage, the first words out of my mouth were 'hey munchkin'...so that's what I'll call her.

Since their teeth are nowhere close to coming in, will keep them on wet food for the next week or so, then switch them to dry next weekend and see what happens.

The next several weeks will be fun...up every couple hours tonite and over the weekend...then hopefully they will settle into my schedule. Play, poop, pee, eat, sleep, and repeat 10000 times. Should be fun and the time will fly by.

My puppy schedule is more sleep deprived than my regular schedule, but what the hell, they are cute little critters and need my care and love to thrive, so I'll do what I gotta do.

Stay tuned for all the puppy stories you can handle!

Can't you just smell the puppy breath?

'No-Fry' Zone

I'm giving up french fries. There. I said it.

I am a french-fry-aholic. I love them. I eat them waaaay too frequently. I know they are bad for me nutritionally-physically-mentally..I know all that and more. I love them, but I know something's gotta give.

So I am giving them up.

I'm not into radical diet-of-the-month plans. Have 'officially' dieted only once, and that is when I joined Weight Watchers several years after I got married. Was a size 7 when I got married and a size 24 (yeah...I know...how could I???) when I joined WW. That lasted two weeks. Why? Cause in the 2 weeks I was on WW, I followed each detail to the letter of the law...and gained 14 lbs...and was so unhappy they refunded my money.

Eventually got down to a size 7-8 for several years by doing things my way. Cut out all fried food, processed foods, sugary sweets for 3 months then slowly introduced a small amount back into my life, drank a 1/2 gallon of water each day and walked one hour 5 days a week...and 4 nights a week I used hand weights.

And that's all! No pills, no gyms, nothing else...just the above and positive mental attitude.

So I know what to do and I know how to do it. And I'm going to do it.

Not to worry...won't bore all of you with the details. I'll do monthly fyi's (damn! that word reminds me of fries) and fill you in on my progress.

Wish me luck!

This creeped me out in a refreshing sort of way...

Here's what I'm talking about...

Today a friend quoted me to me! They actually used a quote I had just written in my blog. And I was simultaneously creeped out and pleased all at the same time.

When I type my thoughts that make up each blog entry, it is just me and my thoughts and my iBook and that's it. I formulate the thoughts in my head, type them on the keyboard, then post them to my blog. A very solitary and silent pastime....no sounds included...unless, of course, I have my iPod playing or I'm listening to NBA or HGTV or Keith (oooh baby!) Olbermann in the background....or sometimes like right now when all I hear is the noise the keys make as I hit them and the low steady whir of the A/C.

So when my friend quoted me to me, it was a sudden feeling of 'ewww, you've just read my mind' mixed with 'oh, you read my blog!'.

I'm sure this happens to seasoned bloggers all the time...they become passe...so used to everyone quoting them day in and day out...but this was my first time...and was a tad awkward as some first times can be!

Lessons they should have taught me in Blogging 101, but didn't.

George W. Bush Resume

GEORGE W. BUSH 
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 
Washington, DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Law Enforcement: 
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.

Military: 
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I  refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.

College: 
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE: 
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost.

I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock

I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money.

With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS 
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.

I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.

I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.

With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:
I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.

I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of *over one billion dollars per week*.

I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.

I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.

I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.

I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.

I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market.

In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.

I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My 'poorest millionaire,' Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.

I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips  by a U.S. President.

I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations.

One of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History, Enron.

My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.

I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history.

I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.

I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.

I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.

I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.

I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.

I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.

I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.

I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.

I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.

I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election).

I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.

I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history (2001).

I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.

 I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.

I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community.

I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families -- in wartime.

In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.

I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.

I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD.

I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.

During the Iraq War and Occupation thousands of American troops were injured and killed. I did not have the time to attend any of the funerals for our fallen soldiers but I did have the time to attend more than 43 fund-raising events of the Republican party

RECORDS AND REFERENCES: 
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view.

All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.

All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.

PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE WHEN VOTING IN 2004. PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW

Sayonara Cheesecake Factory!

My buddy left today to return to Nor Cal. Got up at the crack of dawn (or the butt-crack of dawn as he would say) so he could be at the airport at the ungodly hour of 5:15...more like the middle of the night for me. It was so hard saying goodbye to him...think he was secretly glad it was time to go so I would stop hugging him!

We've been friends for 27 years, been thru many many good times and some very sad times...probably the saddest for him was when he lost his partner, the love of his life, 2 years ago this October. I had missed their wedding (committment ceremony, actually) 8 years ago cause I had been out of the country when it was planned and returned the day before it was held.

Some of our friends shunned him for this decision but happily there were those of us that celebrated with him and were oh so happy for him.

The 11 years they were a couple was the best time of my buddy's life...and the last 18 months have been tough. So this vacation was a chance for him to kick back and have a good time and take a break from his life...just what vacations are meant for.

Can I tell you that eating at The Cheesecake Factory is one of his new pastimes??? It seemed every time we went out we JUST SO HAPPENED to be in the vicinity of The Cheesecake Factory...a combination of a sign from God and the miracle of vacations. I am thinking of asking The Cheesecake Factory to sponsor his next vacation!

We did the usual touristy stuff...found it is really cool to see Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton thru the eyes of an impressed visitor! It made me appreciate my surroundings even more than I already do...which is quite alot!

If you ever happen to wind up in the Las Olas section of Ft. Lauderdale and have a couple of hours to kill, after having lunch at The Cheesecake Factory (duh...where else do you think I would suggest???) walk around the corner and take the "Carrie B" tour. It's one of those touristy little sighseeing cruises that I am totally nutso over. When I first moved to FL and had 9 sets of guests in the first 8 months, every single guest was dragged on a Carrie B tour...like it or not!! But they all DID like it, which was cool.

For me, nothing beats being out on the water in lovely, sunny, non-humid (at least in the Winter) So FL. It really is a slice of heaven on earth! We had the best time, got some sun, had lots of laughs and wondered 'what in hell do these people DO where they can afford multi-million mansions on the waterfront??'

Saturday we did the A1A drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Palm Beach...one of my fave drives in the US...spent most of the day around City Place....lunch at Legal Seafood and guess where we had dessert? Yup, you guessed it.

Saturday night was all about HGTV and discussing the finer points of the 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' book I gave him for his birthday. You see, while he was here we did a take-off on the show and it became 'Straight Chick Eye for the Queer Guy'...yeah...I gave my buddy a 'make-better'.

We totally revamped him...his hairstyle, his clothing, shoes, had his first pedicure and convinced him to start wearing sunglasses to protect his eyes. So new hair, shoes, clothes and new Maui Jim's 10 days later and he really did look like a newer, better and definitely way hotter guy...and best of all he felt so much better about himself...and ready to start a new chapter of his life.

He called me tonite when he was safely back home...seems his friends definitely like his new image...the scene at the airport was one of amazement and admiration...one of his friends even suggested he visit FL on a monthly basis.

That would make me really happy. And The Cheesecake Factory would be thrilled!!

Happy Birthday, Devon!

My niece Devon is one year old today!

Of course, there will be the usual family birthday celebration...nothing major other than cake and ice cream and family...lots of family!!

So I'll sit back here in FL and imagine Devon covered in cake and melted ice cream, playing with her beloved Dancing Elmo, and charming everyone in her extended family with her big eyes and her even bigger smile.

I miss you, Devon!

xoxoxoxoxo

I am really tired!

Having company is fun...no doubt about that...and I am having the time of my life with my buddy Bruce!

While I work during the day he rides my bike to the beach, checks out the local neighborhood, studies his Spanish, watches the History Channel and even fixed one of the sinks in the guest bathroom. Then at night we go out...every night...every single night...and the earliest I have gone to bed in the last week is 12:30 am. Just yawned 4 times after I wrote that.

So the big push for 'having as much fun as possible'...the theme of his vacation...is on full force.

Have Friday off from work (yay me!) so we'll be hitting Ft. Lauderdale all day tomorrow, planting and mulching my flower beds in the afternoon, DRB at night, DRB and WPB all day and night Saturday and at this point I don't want to think beyond then.

In case you're keeping track, he's visited The Cheesecake Factory 4 times so far since he arrived last Thursday. And guess where we're having lunch tomorrow?

So nighty-night for now all you honey-bunnies out there...gotta get some sleep!

Sweet dreams :-)

Nordstromology

Got a call from Nordstrom two weeks ago. They wanted to know if I would be so kind as to participate in a written survey. And if I did participate in this survey, they would show their gratitude by giving me a $20 dollar gift certificate.

Hmmmmm.

While I do like Nordy's, I don't really shop there a ton. I go mainly for the shoes (Born's, Merrill's and Ked's), to drool at the handbags and the occasional something special. Yet I figured this would be a no-brainer so I said sure, send me a survey. And since I already have a $20 gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket so to speak, another one would make $40 (yes, I can add!!) and that would be plenty for a new pair of shoes.

So the survey arrrives in the mail...HOLY CRAP!!! It felt like the SAT's all over again.

Would you be more likely or less likely....how would you rate your top 3 choices....your bottom 3 choices...they asked you to rate Nordy's against all these other specialty stores, NONE of which I patronize! So being the always helpful and considerate consumer that I am, I wrote in J.Jill and Victoria's Secret...hey, I want to earn my $20 gift certificate fair and square!!

12 pages later...or was it 120?...I was ready to call it quits. OMG, I was exhausted! At one point they asked me to break down how much I had spent in each dept in Nordy's over the past year. HELLO???? I have a Nordy's credit card and I am mathematically challenged...couldn't they just look that one up in their records? By this time I was ready to pay THEM in exchange for never ever sending me another survey for as long as I live. But no, I promised to complete the survey and so I did.

I now feel that I am qualified to have a Master's Degree in Nordstromology. Go ahead...ask me anything Nordstrom- related!!!

Goodbye Pesach!

Hello Panera!

Sundown is in 15 minutes or so...see ya!

:-)

This makes me laugh every time I read it!

Got this email from a buddy at work. I'm sure you've all seen it a gazillion times. Still, it makes me laugh every time I read it!

Dear Dogs and Cats,

When I say to move, it means go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two of you in the way.

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help, because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue to sleep on the couch to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of dogs and cats sleeping, they can actually curl up in a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space used is nothing but sarcasm.

My compact discs are not Frisbees.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. In addition, I have been using bathrooms for years, canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.

The proper order is: Kiss me, then go smell the other dog’s butt. I cannot stress this enough. It would be such a simple change for you.

To pacify you I have posted the following message on our front door…

RULES FOR NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

1. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
2. I like my pet a lot better than I like most people.
3. They live here. You Don’t.
4. To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter!

Dogs and cats are better than kids. They eat less, don’t ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don’t hang out with drug using friends, don’t smoke or drink, don’t worry about buying the latest fashions, don’t wear your clothes, don’t need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant, you can sell the results.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I

LOVE

This

Movie

Sorry Tom :-(

Sent a Gap t-shirt to my buddy Tom. Thought he would like it for several reasons..it looked cool, was in his size, had a cool logo (Ironworks) and the date he was born, 1969. What's not to like, right?

Come to find out he was born in 1968, not 1969. Oops! So all of a sudden it doesn't have the significance I thought it would have and 'Man of Iron' doesn't quite have the same ring as 'Man of Steel'.

Like he said, it's the thought that counts.

I have company :-)

My college buddy came for a visit. It's been ages since we've seen each other...last time was in Palo Alto right before I moved to FL.

He looks great...really really good. Took him to City Place for shopping (killer sale at the Gap) then Cheesecake Factory...his first time! He's decided it won't be his last.

Love having company to begin with, but when they are this special to me, well, it's a slice of heaven on earth.

Am operating on 3 hours of sleep so this is it for now. Boston Cream Cheesecake is calling me from fridge...it can keep until tomorrow!

Layla Tov...sweet dreams!

:-)

Different Strokes...

It never ceases to amaze me how we can be so alike and on the same page with so many of our friends...you like the same music, have the same sense of humor, share the same passion for guacamole WITHOUT cilantro thank you very much, and share so many varied and different things...yet are so 180 degree opposite when it comes to politics.

Over the course of being a Deaniac, I have found out just how many Republicans I have for friends!! Who knew?? Certainly not me!

Yeah, I got Deaniac fever relatively late in the game and it took many of my friends by surprise! Hell, it took me by surprise that I felt so connected to this Doctor and Governor from VT. Howard Dean was the answer to my prayers as to what our government should have in the 'leader of the free world' dept. And while I was totally bummed when he stopped campaigning...notice I did not say 'dropped out'...I still campaigned for him in the hopes that he would get his 15% for the FL Primary.

Took the Monday and Tuesday of Primary week off from work for last minute campaigning...planting signs, leafletting, etc. I remember thinking the awesome weather was a gift from God to thank me for taking time off to do what I saw as my civic duty.

Yet when one of my buddies from work called my cell and asked why I had taken two days off and I told her why she said 'Are you still stuck on HIM?'...like Dean was some wayward boyfriend that I couldn't shake.

And to this day I just don't get it. How so many of my friends...intelligent, honest, smart, loving people...can be for Bush? Hello? That is GWB we are talking about and they are FOR him??!! The guy that lied about WMD. The guy that lied about military service. The guy that murders the English language on a daily basis (I'm sorry...maybe I am naive in expecting the Commander-in-Chief to have a command of the English language).

Every day I hear of one more soldier being killed I wonder how GWB feels about that? That based on his lies of WMD we went to war...he PROMISED us we would find weapons, yeah he did...and because of his actions soldiers are being killed on a daily basis. How does the man sleep at night? How can he function?

And what makes so many people believe he is doing a great job?

I just don't get it!

A Really Bad Dream...

Second time in two weeks I've had this dream...too scary for words...ready??

In the dream, I have two little mini-weiner dog puppies that are about 4 months old. For anyone that has never seen a 4 month old mini-weiner dog puppy, imagine a foot long hot dog with legs that runs incredibly fast and barks like there is no tomorrow...and has an incredibly high cuteness factor!

Got the picture??

Anyway, in the dream my puppies are playing with each other and running up and down the very long hallway I have upstairs. All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, two 3 foot alligators are in the hallway, chasing the puppies...and they catch them. Oh no!!

The puppies are yowling, gators are gnashing and it sounds not pretty. I say sounds because I never actually see the puppies and the gators together...I only hear it!

Now even tho I am in dream-mode, I am cognizant that my dream has hardwood floors...whereas in real life I have berber carpet....in the dream the walls are electric Key Lime Green... my real walls are Laura Ashley Sand #3...and while a small part of me KNOWS it is a dream, when I wake up I am scared to death and afraid to look over the edge of the bed.

And of course the room is dark, the berber undisturbed and there are no weiner dogs to be seen, much less baby gators.

And once again I am wide awake at 2 am.

I have GOT to stop watching Animal Planet before going to bed!

Chag Sameach!

Passover (Pesach) starts at sundown. Happy Passover if you celebrate!

Passover is all about celebrating Freedom. What's holding you back from being free?

Hmmmmmm???

YAY!

On today's agenda...helping Tom declutter and organize his garage! Way yay! Have been looking forward to this all week!

So far I've helped him reclaim his den, living room, foyer, dining room, kitchen and guest bedroom. He's happy with the results...keeps saying 'I have my house back'.

And after today he'll have his garage back.

Organizing is SO much fun :-)

UPDATE !!!

Wow, got the tables turned on me!

Tom came over to my house and helped me with SO MANY THINGS that needed to be done!

FINALLY got my printer hooked up (it's been in the box since Sept 2001) and my Airport as well (also been in the box since Sept 2001)...so now I am blogging wireless anywhere and everywhere in my house...I am SO lovin it!!

Taught me how to download my Foster Puppy pix into iPhoto and how to send pix as email attachments (ok, stop laughing all you techies out there!!!)....helped hang the huge mirror that had been sitting on the floor for over a year (since I moved into my house) as well as a really cool sun sculpture I got at a home and garden show last week.

That's not all tho...there's more!

In addition to being technically challenged, I also have a HUGE fear of heights. So, thanks to Tom, was finally able to clean all the filter vents in the bathrooms. And just in time for my company that's arriving this Thursday.

Finally, he suggested another way of organizing my living room furniture, which really opened it up to the dining room and made the whole area a really neat and roomy space!

So while this day wasn't quite the organizing extravanganza I had originally thought it would be, it turned out really really well and I am jazzed beyond belief!

YAY!

Watching 'The Pianist'

Saw it the first week it was released. Absolutely excellent movie...incredibly sad subject matter. Watching it this time was different. Thoughts keep running thru my head...

Thoughts like how this movie is based on a true story. 'Schindler's List' was also based on a true story.

Passover starts Monday night at sundown.

It commemorates the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

The overall theme of Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew....I refer to it as Pesach) is freedom.

Freedom to live as Jews with no persecution.

Freedom to practice your religion as you like.

Freedom to be who you are.

Freedom.