ABBA

Happy Birthday, Laura!

2012-01-25T16:15:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a little late on the band wagon, but I've been pre-occupied with Dad stuff.

I feel very fortunate to have had you come into my life. We don't chat much and we don't see one another much, but I think your influence on my life has been amazing.

I hope your 40th is fantastic! You deserve all the joy and happiness that you bring to all of us that are blessed to know you!!

Movie Observation

2012-01-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

I was watching To Sir with Love yesterday and had an interesting realization. Don't get me wrong, it is a great movie (and I REALLY love the theme song), but I started thinking that all the movies out there about "teachers" that come in a make a huge impression on the kids' lives are all about people who never wanted to be teachers in the first place and the people in these movies who are teachers and set out to be teachers are shown to be almost buffoonish. I mean, think about it:

To Sir with Love - He was an out of work Engineer.

Stand and Deliver - Again, not his first choice.

Dangerous Minds - Former marine. Teaching was kinda something she came into.

Mr. Holland's Opus - Wanted to be a composer and not a teacher.

Freedom Writers - Okay, so she wanted to be a teach.

School of Rock - Yeah, this is sort of a joke, but the main character fell into being a teacher when he really wanted to be a rocker.

So, here's my question, with my mom and sister both being teachers, is the educational system so screwed up that the only way the movie industry thinks it can be fixed is by bringing in people from outside who never even wanted to be teachers? Maybe, just maybe we should think about diverting some of the huge expense that goes into the making of movies into our education system and maybe actually pay teachers for teaching our children and actually ALLOWING them to teach them and not just pandering to some test that they have to get their students to pass in order to get some funding. Okay, now I'm ranting...

Leo Update

2012-01-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

I know I talk about my dog a lot, but I can't help it, I love him. Here is the latest...

As you know, I got him 6 months ago and since day one he has had the sniffles and a cough. It has gotten to the point that I'm considering changing his name to Booger because he has soooo much snot coming out of his nose. He has also been on multiple rounds of antibiotics.

I took him to a new vet between Christmas and New Years. The new vet did a full blood screen and chest x-ray and put him on another round. We have gone through that round and went back the past week. They did another x-ray and it seems that the mass on his right lung has decreased, but he is sneezing more, but that might be due to allergies, and his coughing seems to be decreasing some, although he still is wheezing. This last time they also chose to do a culture on his nose mucus to see if they can narrow down what antibiotics will work. They said that it could take another six to eight weeks before he will have it all cleared up, maybe longer since he has had this infection for at least 6 months and probably longer since he came to me in this manner.

The good thing, he is eating and drinking and has lots of energy still and doesn't seem to have anything else impacting him. He is a year old this month and I'd like to think that at least half his life so far has been good.

I know that he has made an incredible impact on my life.

Finally Tried Zumba

2012-01-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally broke out my Zumba DVDs that I purchased on a whim. (See Whine, Wine, and Zumba?)

I came home from work yesterday and fired up the training DVD and have to say that I LOVED it!! Looking forward to getting into the actual workout now rather than just learning the steps. I did realize a couple of things:

I actually do not have any real rhythm and sorta dance like, well a white chick...and an old white chick at that. However, since I'm trying to Live Boldly, I really don't care and as long as I am moving and not falling down, then it doesn't really matter!!
Devil Dog does not get it AT ALL. I am going to have to either start Zumba-ing over at Sara's house or I'm going to have lock him out of the dance hall while I become a Latin dancer... Last night as I Samba'd and Calypso'd and Meringue'd, Devil Dog either nipped at my pants, tried to dance with me, or would lay in the middle of the floor right where I was trying to do my steps and would chew on his stuffed toy...right under foot.

True, I did not rush home this evening and did not do my Zumba as I planned, but that was because I played with the dog instead. Maybe tomorrow....

2012 Resolution Take Two

2012-01-03T04:56:00.000-08:00

After writing my New Year's Resolutions yesterday, I had a revelation that I really focus my resolutions on something slightly more grand and decided that instead of those pedestrian resolutions, I'm going 'outside' the box. I have the book Live Boldly and have decided that my resolution this year is going to be to follow the premise behind that book:

Live Boldly
Laugh Loudly
Love Truly.
Play as often as you can.
Work as smart as you are able.
Share your heart as deeply as you can reach.
Choose in ways that support your dreams.
Honor your actions as your teachers.
As you awaken may your dreams greet you by name,
And may you answer, "YES!"
As you walk may angels gather at your shoulder, and
May you know they stand with you as you rest.
May all your endeavors be rooted in contentment.
May all your endeavors be rooted in peace.

I resolve this for myself and I hope this for all of you!!

2012 - It Is A New Year!!

2012-01-02T18:18:00.000-08:00

It is a new year and time to make those resolutions. There are some resolutions that will take the year to meet, but I want to challenge myself to also set new monthly resolutions. I mean I'm already addicted to my daily/weekly list of things that I have to accomplish, why not give myself a list on the first day of each month of things that I need to do as well, much like I remember to give the dog his heart worm medication on the first day of the month....oh wait, I don't actually want to think about this 'challenges' as a form of preventative medicine to keep from having a parasite enter my bloodstream and stop my heart. And yet, maybe I do. Maybe that is just the thing that I need each month... a preventative medicine to keep laziness from entering my bloodstream.

But, first, my annual list of things that I will probably not get done (and yes, many of these are hold overs from 2011)....

To reach my goal weight (surprise, surprise). I mean, I'm getting really close, should I should have this knocked off before my birthday.
To finish at least the same number of books in 2012 that I read in 2011
To finish half the quilts that are currently in my UFO pile and open an ETSY store and try to actually sell something
To create and stick to a budget and to only spend money on things that I need. Of course, when I achieve #1, then I'll have to buy a whole new wardrobe, and well, who is to say shoes won't be included.
To invite the other folks in "the 'hood" over for a monthly dinner... And maybe host a larger party and have people come drink my wine.
To complete all of the exercises in The Artists Way and Writing Down the Bones
To get home early enough to take the hound for a walk and to dust off my Wii and pop in the Jillian Michaels Kill ABBA routine.

Lucky number 7. I think that is an achievable number of resolutions. I mean, I've already turned off the television for the night so that I can document this, so that is a step in the correct direction, isn't it?

2011 Resolution Update

2012-01-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Well, in looking back over my resolutions from last year, let's see where we ended up....

To reach my goal weight (surprise, surprise) - Didn't quite get there, however, I got almost halfway there, so that is a big step in the correct direction.
To finish at least the same number of books in 2011 that I read in 2010 and provide my faithful audience with a review - Yes! I did actually make this resolution. In 2010, I read 25 books and in 2011 I got to 30!! Woo Hoo and I forced a review of each of them on you all!!
To finish half the quilts that are currently in my UFO pile - And, then we start getting into the ones that I didn't make. Yeah, I did almost no quilting in 2011. I have lots of excuses for it, but in the end it is because I was generally too lazy.
To open an ETSY store and try to actually sell something - See response to #3.
To create and stick to a budget - I thought long and hard about a budget and have tried to create one, but in general it has entailed keeping a somewhat running total in my head of what has been spent and THAT is really scary!!
To implement a REAL filing system and stay organized - Yeah, made NO progress on this one, either.
To buy more shoes (oh no, twist my arm on this one) - So, this one I actually did meet...many times over. However, I was actually in a shoe store just the other day and managed to walk out without buying a single one. I am very proud of myself for that, especially since I walked around the store carrying a couple pair for almost an hour but decided that they just weren't needed.
To cook at home more and actually invite people over, which means I have to keep my house clean. - Hmmm, well, I did cook more and I did have my parents come over and stay and eat, but that was over Christmas, so I guess this is something that still needs some work.
To complete all of the exercises in The Artists Way and Writing Down the Bones. - See response to #3. I did NOTHING along the way for this one.
To watch less television...I still need to come up with a reasonable number of hours a week. - Television is my biggest vice. I don't know what it is and why I need to have it on so much, but it is like a drug to me. I spent the majority of the week I had off between Christmas and New Year watching movies that I had recorded instead of doing all the other things that I should have been doing. Ah well, it is a new year to try again, right?
To get my PMP Certification - See response to #3.
To come back in 3 months and provide an update on these resolutions. So, I did do this once.... That counts, doesn't it?
To become more involved in my community...or a community....maybe a community of squirrels would like me to join..... - Well, can I count spending more time with the folks 'in the 'hood' as joining a community?
To get my passport and in turn do some traveling. - I DID get my passport!! Now, I just need to figure out where I'm going to travel to.
To open my heart to love (and actually join Match.com and contact the guy that I've been stalking out there). - So, didn't open my heart to love, yet. But have started loving myself more, which is a big step towards being able to open up for love, right?

Well, I guess there is still a lot of work to be done. Let's see what 2012 has to offer....

2011 - Book 32 - The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

2012-01-02T17:00:00.001-08:00

This is another one that I didn't finish this year, and probably won't. The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana is one of Umberto Eco's fictional works and while I love some of his stuff (e.g., The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum) but the last couple of his fiction works that I've read, including this one has felt like I'm reading something for school. Perhaps my mind has spent too much time reading the empty calories of works like the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series and gone all soft...but at the moment, I'm okay with that. However, here is the book description:

What if you woke up tomorrow and remembered nothing of your life? The faces of your spouse and children are strange, and the outlines of your childhood are only a blur. This is the crisis that Yambo, an Italian book seller, faces when he regains consciousness after suffering a stroke. He is shocked to find, however, that he can remember every book he has ever read, every line of poetry, and a wealth of literary quotations.
Desperate to retrieve his past, he searches through boxes of old newspapers, comics, records, photo albums, and adolescent diaries. And so Yambo relives the story of his generation: Mussolini, Catholic education and guilt, Josephine Baker, Flash Gordon, Fred Astaire. His memories run wild, and life races before him in a series of images, as Yambo struggles to capture the most elusive one - that of his first love.

Don't get me wrong, this is actually a really good book and as so much of Eco's works is well written. The premise behind it is really intriguing and does make you stop and think and wonder "what if..." but, at this time in my life, I'm just sorta happy reading the mind candy that I've spent much of the year reading.

2011 - Book 31 - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

2012-01-02T16:41:00.001-08:00

Okay, I didn't actually finish Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I made it to page 181 out of 253. I made a promise to myself that I would not feel obligated to finish every book that I started if it doesn't grab me, although with less than 80 pages left part of me thinks maybe I SHOULD suck it up and finish it. I made a really good try at this, but i just never felt the need to finish it. Here is the description, if you faithful readers wish to pick it up and make a go at it.

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, or "old same," in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she has written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. They both endure the agony of footbinding and together reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

Well, I understand they are making this into a movie.... I'll wait and see the movie to find out what the misunderstanding is....

2011 - Book 30 - The Dirty Parts of the Bible

2012-01-02T16:20:00.001-08:00

Same Torode's book, The Dirty Parts of the Bible, is a good read, and actually not too blasphemous. Description:

It's 1936 and 19-year-old Tobias Henry is stuck in the frozen hinterlands of Michigan. Tobias is obsessed with two things: God and girls.
Mostly girls.
But being a Baptist preacher's son, he can't escape God.
When his father is blinded in a bizarre accident, Tobias rides the rails in search of a lost fortune. Along the way, he is initiated into the hobo brotherhood by Craw, a ribald yet wise black man. Obstacles arise in the form of a saucy prostitute, a giant catfish, and a flaming boxcar. But when he meets Sarah, a tough Texas farm girl under a dark curse, he finds out that the greatest challenge of all is love.

I really liked this book. First, because it does have that blasphemous flavor. Second, because it takes place in Glen Rose, TX, which is just down the road from here. Third, because it is actually a really good story and in the end that is what counts. If you can get your hands on this, I highly recommend it.

2011 - Book 29 - Dumb White Husband vs. The Grocery Store

2012-01-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Okay, so technically, this is a short story, but I read it on the Kindle, so I'm counting it as a book...

Dumb White Husband vs. The Grocery Store by Benjamin Wallace is the first in a series of such short stories. Description:

John is a dumb white husband. That is to say that he loves and cares for his family, is successful in his career, popular around the neighborhood, can dress himself (often without injury) and is capable of reasonable thought. Demographically however, he functions likes a 4-year-old that can't quite master the intricacies of the potty.

It isn't his fault. He studied hard and got a college degree. He works hard and earns a comfortable living. But, like all other dumb white husbands, he leads a dual life; competent member of society by day, helpless male by night, weekends, and holidays.

He has served for years as the nervous legal department-approved foil of commercials, TV and movies. And, for this service, we thank him. No one has ever cared to look inside the mind of the dumb white husband - probably for fear of what we might find - but, if we took a minute to consider it, we may see that he's not as dumb as we all think. But, he probably is.

In this adventure, Dumb White Husband goes to the grocery store.

Well, it is a cute short story, although the description is almost as long as the actual story. I give it a thumb up, although I do find husband versus wife dichotomy a little trying. Perhaps I find it trying because I do not have a husband of my own, but I really doubt if that is what real middle-class WASP relationships are like...but what do I know.

2011 - Book 28 - Heartless

2012-01-02T15:51:00.001-08:00

So, I am way behind on blogging about my reading, and other things, so here I go trying to catch up. I finished the third book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Heartless, over Thanksgiving. Here is a quick look at the book description:

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight-months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

Like the others in this series, it is a light, easy read that brings joy and not much of challenge, and I'm pretty good with that. The next in this series hasn't been published yet, but I do have it on my list to purchase when it does come out. However, I am again reminded as to how many story lines these days pit werewolves against vampires....that theme seems to be every where lately.

It Only Takes a Girl

2011-12-18T15:38:00.000-08:00

I came across this on Facebook and wanted to share it with my blogger friends. Something to think about.

Should I Really Be ABBA?

2011-12-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

As you probably know my moniker, ABBA, was given to me by Sara when I first started blogging. It stands for Aries, Blond, Blogging, Aggie. Now there are a couple of things that might exclude me from continuing with this name; first, because I'm not really a blond anymore as I've discovered that my natural color is quite a few shades darker and second, because I've been a really bad blogger of late.

However, I'm not really focusing this post on either of those two concerns. I'm actually questioning whether I should be an Aries. In looking into what it means to be an Aries, there is a lot about that sign that just doesn't fit with who I am. Here is a little snippet of what makes up an Aries:

Adventurous, Ambitious, Impulsive, Enthusiastic (Yeah, not so sure about this.)

A Pioneer both in thought and action (Hmm, on the fence on this one.)

Open to new ideas and a lover of freedom (I would agree)

Welcome challenges and will not be diverted from their purpose except by their own impatience (Umm, sometimes...)

Courageous leaders with a genuine concern for those they command (I would not say 'courageous leader' but I do have concern for those I command.)

Being responsible people, it is rare they will use their subordinates to obtain their own objectives (I would agree.)

Do not make good followers because they are too "take charge" (I wouldn't say I'm not a follower because I'm not thrilled with being a leader, but I do have a 'take charge' attitude.)

Unwilling to obey or submit to directions for which they can see no reason (Yeah, I totally agree with this one; been this way ever since I was a wee babe.)

Aggressive and restless, argumentative occasionally, headstrong, quick tempered, easily offended and capable of holding grudges (Hmmm, not so much.)

Intellectual and objective, but can be bigoted and extremist in religion and politics (Yes and no...Ooo, maybe I'm bigoted about making a decision.)

Champions of lost causes (Yeah, I think so...at lease I know I've backed some.)

Quick-witted (I give this one a big heck yeah!)

Sometimes foolhardy and overly optimistic (Yeah, probably.)

Prone to headaches, depression, indigestion, and nervous disorders (Sadly, yes.)

Likes spontaneity (Ummm, no.)

Now, I've noted for each of these whether I actually agree with these. Since my birthday is only 5 days from the cusp of being a Taurus, I decided to check that out and see if I really should have been a Taurus and I just arrived early (which I've always been prone to do):

Patient and reliable (I'd like to think so.)

Warmhearted and loving (I'd like to think so.)

Stable, balanced, conservative good, law-abiding citizens and lovers of peace (I'd like to think so.)

Respect for property and a horror of falling into debt, they will do everything in their power to maintain security (Hell's Yeah!)

Keen-witted and practical (I'd like to think so.)

Apt to become fixed in their opinions (Maybe sometimes, or not, I don't know...)

Obstinately and exasperatingly self-righteous, unoriginal, rigid, ultraconservative, argumentative (Not always, No, No, No, No)

Need someone to stroke their egos with a frequent "Well Done" (But really, don't we all?)

Faithful and generous friends with a great capacity for affection (I'd like to think so.)

Gentle, even tempered, good natured, modest, and slow to anger, disliking quarreling and avoiding ill-feeling (Yes, yes, yes...I will avoid fighting any way that I can!)

However, can explode into violent outbursts (Well, it has been a long time, but when I was a kid I could tell stories about tearing up my room when I would get mad.)

They have aesthetic taste, enjoying art, for which they may have a talent, beauty and music. (I'd like to think so.)

They have a strong, sometimes unconventional, religious faith (I would have to agree, especially the unconventional aspect.)

Industrious and good craftspeople (I'd like to think so.)

At their best in routine positions of trust and responsibility, where there is little need of urgency and even less risk of change (While, I do like my routine and really like being in a position of responsibility where people can trust me, I also get bored easily...)

Okay, well maybe I am more of an Aries with a whole lot of strong influence from my Taurus side....Can I make up my own sign and call myself an Arus...although that could be mis-typed so easily....

Starting the Week Off

2011-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

So, I started the week off trying to be very positive. On Sunday, the 'official' start of the week was spent doing work stuff for about eight hours and then pulling out all my Christmas decorations and actually getting my tree up. Last year was the first year that I have had a tree of my own, so it was lots of fun to decorate it, with thoughts of all the years to come and the traditions and memories and blah blah. Last night, as I was putting it up and decorating it, I kept thinking "Wam I doing this again?" If my parents weren't coming to spend Christmas with me, I'm pretty certain that I would not have done any decorating. Although, I have to admit that upon digging all of my stuff out, I found some really cute things that I picked up last year at an after Christmas sale.
So, this morning, still trying to keep a positive outlook on the week, I come into the office (mistake #1) and actually try and get something accomplished (mistake #2). For some reason, and for the life of me I can't put my finger on it, I don't have a lot of spark to do anything here....maybe I'll just spend the rest of the afternoon figuring out my Christmas menu....

Celebration!!

2011-12-09T05:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, maybe not something I should be celebrating, but...

I was demoted yesterday. I've been in this team lead role for about six - seven months and as you all have probably been aware traveling to my customer location about once a month. Well, the powers that be have decided that this role really needs to be permanently at the customer site, so they are moving one of my team members into my role.

While it was initially a bit of a slap in the face, within about three minutes it hit me and I have to admit that I was happy. I then admitted to my manager that I have hated my job for probably the past six months. That gave him some relief, not that I had been hating my job but that I wasn't upset about the change in roles. How can I really be too upset? I am keeping my same salary and I'm giving up the extra 30+ hours a week that I've been working and the stress.

The really good thing about this is that, hopefully, I'll have more energy and drive to blog more (which I know will make all of you happy since I've been VERY hit or miss with the blogging), exercise more, quilt (which I haven't done in so long that I'm not certain I know where my quilting room is anymore), read more, spend time with friends more and have something to talk about rather than just kvetching about my job, and, when the stars align properly, be able to resume carpooling with Sara!!

Admittedly, there is some drawbacks to this whole thing. It is going to be tough to stay on the same team, even though the person stepping into the role and my manager both want me to stay and have offered any job that I want in the team. I have also had other people in the past say they want me to come join their teams. And, unfortunately, the change is not immediate; it won't actually take place until some time in January, but, I think I can hold tight in the interim...and just keep doing my happy dance in my mind.

I Love My Little Terror

2011-11-23T04:50:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you are aware, I have a new man in my life. Yes, he is four-legged and covered in fur, and as much as I would love to say he looks like Taylor Lautner from Twilight, he is NOT a werewolf. However, he is a terror...

He has found his voice and likes to use it loudly and at odd times. He will bark at his reflection in my glass entertainment center. In fact, yesterday he figured out how to slide the door open and gladly informed me of this by barking directly into my DVD player.

He has also found that the springy door-stoppers are GREAT fun. He spent many an hour yesterday hitting one and making it go "boinnnng". Well, he did that up until the put where it broke off the wall and he decided to make it a chew toy...which I promptly took away from him. He then headed to another one to see what it would do. Since I would make a loud noise whenever he approached it, he lost interest and hopefully will not find it again.

He is also the destroyer of many toys. I'm okay with him destroying his stuffed toys with squeakers. I've come to realize that this will happen and have vowed not to acquire anymore of that ilk for him. I have found a brand that is supposedly nearly indestructable, which we are going with from now on (they just aren't very cuddly, but I guess that is the sacrifice he will have to make). However, he also decided that his dog bed was just a giant stuffed toy as well. He had many an hour of great fun attacking the bed, flipping the bed, rolling around on the bed, chewing the handles off the bed, but then he would also pee on the bed, which caused the bed to get washed. This last time while washing, a little tear the terror had made grew and all the stuffing started coming out; guess where the bed is now. So, being the good mommy that I am, I bought him a new bed, sherpa lined, microsuede, cozy. Eight minutes. It took him eight bleeping minutes to chew a hole in his new bed. I am now on the hunt for a bed made out of ballistic material, again will have to forego coziness for indestructability.

Last thing the little terror did yesterday was to come up to me in the bedroom, look right at me while I'm texting Sara, and start to pee not three feet from me. I of course yell horrible things at him, which makes him stopp peeing and run away from me, after some chasing around I finally get him out the door to finish his business. Sadly, the whole time I'm trying to reason with him and am saying things like "You WILL NOT pee in my house!!" or "Wdo you think you are doing? You know better than to pee IN MY HOUSE!" or "If you do this one more time, I swear you are going to be an outdoor dog!!" Which of course, I know he does not make sense out of other than "wow, she has a loud bark".

But then, I cannot stay mad at him. He looks so pitiful when he wants to come back inside and it is cold out there and he is just sitting there with his tail wrapped around him. And then, when he knows it is safe to approach me, he curls up next to me and puts his head in my lap and sleeps (and my mom will get a kick out of this...he drools on my lap). And, I feel really awful today because he woke up about 2:00 this morning and tried really hard to get outside to throw up. And I couldn't get mad at him when he threw up 3 feet from the door.

My poor terror....

Ears....

2011-11-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

As you have probably seen from pictures of my baby, Leo, he has some pretty big ears. I think I could probably get Radio Free Europe tuned in on those. Since it has gotten cold out, I notice that every time he comes in, those ears are ice cold and I feel guilty that he has to go outside...but, he ain't doing his "business" in my house.
So, last night I'm curled up asleep and he is curled up next to me with our heads kind of together (yes, he sleeps with me). All of a sudden, he goes and shakes his head and I get whipped in the face by those ears...
Not only can I get radio stations in on those ears, but they could also be deadly weapons.

2011 - Book 27 - Blameless

2011-11-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you have gathered, I've been doing a lot of reading lately. As soon as I finished Changeless, I dove directly into Blameless, the third in the Parasol Protectorate series.

Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.
Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attached by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.
While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain to her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto.

Again, great mind-candy kind of book. Not very challenging and yet very entertaining. Lots of steampunk visuals and hand-to-parasol combat. At the heart of this series is a love story and a girl's search for who she really is. There are two more in this series and I'm about to begin the fourth book....sadly, the fifth book will not be available until March of 2012, but I already have it on my wishlist!!

Oh, and now I'm hungry for pesto....

2011 Book 26 - Changeless

2011-11-20T14:07:00.001-08:00

I just finished another trip to DC and while on the trip, I read Changeless, the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. Here is a quick description of the book:

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.
But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest in fashion, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.
She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

This is a very fanciful series that I am completely addicted to. It is all very far-fetched and proper English. The characters are fun and the intrigue is well, intriguing. This series is a very fast read, which may also be why I am enjoying them as much as I am. I would give this book, and the series as a whole, the better part of two thumbs up. I would recommend them to only those people that I know who might have an interest in steampunk literature and who don't have a need to be overly challenged by their books.

2011 Book 25 - Mockingjay

2011-11-20T13:51:00.001-08:00

I actually finished this book a couple of weeks ago on a bus trip to Houston and back with my mom. And, I know that I've been a really bad blogger, again, but to be honest, work just has me flumoxed and not really in the mood to write about anything. However, I will document my reading. Mockingjay, the final book the Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy was great. Oh wait, let me give you the bookjacket first:

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans – except Katniss. The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels Mockingjay – no matter what the personal cost.

As I was saying, this final book was really great, as were all of the books in this series. All three of these books were highly entertaining and really hard to put down. As stated at after I finished Catching Fire, I am now very much looking forward to how these are going to be portrayed on film. I also have a hard time looking at these books as 'young adult' as they are extremely violent. I give all of these books two thumbs up and a 'heck yeah, you should read them!' In fact, my niece, whose copies I was borrowing, has requested that they be returned as she wants to read them again.

2011 Book 24 - Catching Fire

2011-10-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today I finished the second book in Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire. I know there was a long stretch between the first, The Hunger Games and this one being read, but I don't intend to have such a span between this and the third as I'm very excited to find out how things end. However, let me first give you the synopsis from the book jacket:

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District
12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothin is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

I give this book and the whole series thus far, two huge thumbs up. If I could shut off the rest of the world and just curl up with these books, I would in a heartbeat. I'm also very much looking forward to how the movies are going to turn out, as they are making a movie of this to come out in March 2012. I am curious, though, how they are actually going to do this movie and not make it Rated R based on the violence and cruelty that the books actuaully address.

2011 Book 23 - Winter Sea

2011-10-16T16:18:00.001-07:00

Susanna Kearsley's book The Winter Sea was my most recent completion. Here is the back of the book write-up:

In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobian fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.
Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth - the ultimate betrayal - that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

I found this to be a great book. However, when I just read what was written on the back, I don't really see where that all comes from. I highly recommend this book. It made me smile and cry and smile.

Bad Mommy

2011-10-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

I admit I am a bad mommy to Leo. He is spoiled rotten. But I can't help it, look at that face:

He barks or whines and I jump and find out what he needs....usually nothing, but I give him food because I feel guilty for not being a stay at home mom.

However, I've taken to drugging him at night so that we'll both sleep. He LOVES the pill pockets that are beef flavored, so I give him one of those with a little Benadryl stuck inside and then his mint cookie for fresh breath. He munches them down like there is no tomorrow.
Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. I have only done this twice and I take a close look at him and before I do it he has red, rheumy eyes and a runny nose much like I get with allergies, plus he is doing lots of scratching and chewing on his feet, which the vet said was a sign of allergies.

The thing is, though, the meds make him a little loopy. Last night within about 15 minutes he was barely able to stand and once I got him into bed (yes, he sleeps with me) he started snoring like an old man. Then he woke up right as I was turning out the light after reading and started wandering around the bed and bumping into the headboard. I then realized that he had to go potty, so I rushed him outside (much better to do it out there than on my feather pillow) where he finished up but then got a second wind and was all hyper and wanting to play. Well, momma wasn't having any of that, so I put him in his crate and shut my door. After listening to him for 30 minutes bark and whine, I got up and let him back in bed with me, whereby he did go to sleep but had all sorts of night terrors and kept kicking or head butting me...not certain what a nine month old puppy has to be terrorized about since he lives in the lap of luxury (aka Casa ABBA), but he must have some demons.

Anyway, I think tonight I'm going to hold off on the drugs and see how he sleeps...and how I sleep. Hmmm, I wonder if my neighbors would kill me if I decided he needed to be an outside dog....oh wait, I can't do that, did you see that face?!?

2011 Book 22 - The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

2011-09-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

I tell you, I've been on quite a roll this vacation and finished up my third book. The latest has been Alan Bradley's second book in his Flavia de Luce series The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag. Since this was an actual book that I read and not from my Kindle, I can provide you with the write-up from the back:

Flavia de Luce, a dangerously smart eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders, thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop's Lacey are over -- until beloved puppeteer Rupert Porson has his own strings sizzled in an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. But who'd do such a thing, and why? Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she's letting on? What about Porson's charming but erratic assistant? All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local contables can't solve -- without Flavia's help. But in getting so close to who's secretly pulling the strings of this dance of death, has our precocious heroine finally gotten in way over her head?

I have to admit that I do enjoy a good mystery and the Flavia books seem to provide that in an Agatha Christie sort of way....if Agatha Christie wrote her main character to be a highly intelligent child with a passion for posion and a history of being tortured by her older sisters. I would recommend this book to folks if they wanted a light read with a little meat on its bones. The plot is pretty good and the character development is quite impressive. I look forward to getting the next in the series A Red Herring Without Mustard...

2011 Book 21 - The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland

2011-09-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

So, I actually finished two books during my recent travels. The second book was a really quick (and interesting) read titled The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters. Here is the book's description:

This comedy mystery, the first in a series of criminally funny fables, is set in Miami and London. Fans of Stephanie Plum will cheer for Alice as she watches her back in attempting to keep her head, while being stalked by Nigel's daft ex-wife and inept, but dangerous mobsters. Alice's world is filled with memorable characters strangely reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. She's guided through her dangerous adventure by her own Cheshire Cat.
Nigel, a chubby John Cleese with serious dress-code problems, whisks Alice to England. Alice sees him as her White Rabbit rescuer. The plot trips along at a cracking pace with Alice flinging zingers like a drive-by shooter.
After Alice discovers a gangster's freshly beheaded body in his Miami mansion, she launches a desparate self-defense in a kangaroo court. The main witness against her is Algy Green, a bumbling cockney swindler who super-glues his bat wing ears to his head and commits perjury for theme park tickets. But in the middle of the trial a small piece of evidence opens her eyes.

This book was actually recommended to me by a friend and I didn't actually read the description before I read the book...and actually not until just now as I write this up. So, as I was heading home from the airport yesterday and telling Sara about the book, I actually did reference Stephanie Plum as being similar. In short, this is a really quick read that has some cute parts, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are looking for some simple brain candy.

2011 Book 20 - The Forever Queen

2011-09-28T05:35:00.001-07:00

I finished off Helen Hollicks book The Forever Queen while on my latest trip to California. That is the beauty of taking a relaxing vacation...being able to just read and relax is heaven. Oh wait, I'm not talking vacation yet, this is about the book, so here is the write-up:

Married to a king incompetent both on the throne and in bed, Emma does not love her husband. But she does love England. Even as her husband fails, Emma vows to protect her people - no matter what. For five decades, through love and loss, prosperity and exile, Emma fights for Englan, becoming the only woman to have been anointed, crowned, and reigning queen to two different kings, the mother of two more, and the great aunt of William the Conqueror.

I really enjoyed this book. Like with other historical novels, there are of course slow parts, but in general it is an interesting tale. Nothing like a good book where the primary character is a strong female. I recommend this to anybody who wants a romantic look at early English history.

Goin' Back to Cali....

2011-09-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

I'm packed and ready to head out to the airport for my friend Sam's wedding. Sara and I are on this adventure together and I'm looking forward to having a Thelma and Louise weekend with her...hopefully there will be no killings, blowing up of tankers, or driving off cliffs...but I make no promises. There will definitely be good fun and lots of laughs...oh and wine, don't forget the wine (although I could see one or both of us drinking a lot out of those little mini bottles of liquor).

Sara told me that she is not planning on checking her luggage...I on the other hand have packed like my grandmother. I have two dresses, as I wasn't certain which I was going to wear and since I have two dresses, I have two pairs of shoes. I also have a combination of 18 other outfits (we are gone for 4 nights)....at least I think I have that many possibilities....I may have only packed 18 tops and no pants....I guess we'll see.

I did have an issue with having to pack a whole lot more hair products since I am now rocking the short hair...it takes a whole lot more work than the long hair that would always get pulled into a pony tail or bun.

I'll try and keep you posted throughout the weekend of our activities. Need to let the beast out before I head out. He'll be okay on his own if I just leave the door open and fill his bowl with kibble, right?

Hair-story

2011-09-21T06:07:00.001-07:00

After two and a half years, I finally decided my hair was long enough to donate and get chopped. Of course, this momentuous occasion had to be properly documented and I'm finally getting around to posting about it.
Before - Hair down, see long....

After - One big swipe with the scissors and it all goes away.

After Part 2 - Dead pony tail...now off to Locks of Love.

Final - Not as short as I was originally thinking, but short enough for now.

Devil Dog Ruminations

2011-09-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

Below is a conversation that I had at lunch today:

ABBA: I think I'm going to take my puppy to the vet on Monday. He has a pretty bad cough and sniffly nose.

Male Lunch Companion #1: Oh no. Kennel Cough. You need to get that taken care of.

ABBA: He hasn't been to a kennel.

MLC#1: Doesn't matter. It is airborn. How much of your monthly budget have you set aside for vet costs?

ABBA: Ummm (Thinking to myself "I'm supposed to have a budget? Oh right, yeah, that's the adult thing to do.")

MLC#2: Yeah those vet bills can really get up there. I had a friend who's bill cost $4500 for a MRI....

{More conversation between MLC#1 and MLC#2 occurred here about other people's vet bills as well as their own. I stopped listening and started thinking about shoes.}

Lull in the conversation.

ABBA: How much does it cost to put a dog down?

MLC#1: You are walking back to the office.

Blog Intervention

2011-09-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

I got lucky last night with two beautiful women.

Stop...get your mind out of the gutter... I'm lucky because I got to have dinner with Jane and The Queen!!

While at said dinner, much was discussed including work (blech), home struggles (blech), children (yay and blech), and Devil Dog (awwww). We also had lots and lots of laughs, pizza, wine, and unnecessary but yummy dessert. Oh, and Jane made precictions....

It was also pointedly mentioned that I have been extremely remiss on my duties as a blogger and we were therefore also having a Blogger Intervention. I actually expected Kim to jump out from the booth next to us; sadly that didn't happen....but really would have been exciting.

Obviously, the intervention was a success because I am blogging today. I vow to work really hard to blog more often, however, there is only so much whining about work I can do, and pretty soon stories about Devil Dog are going to run thin as well. I guess I will have to go discover life so I have something to write about!!

Worst Trip Yet?!?

2011-08-23T12:53:00.001-07:00

I think I have reached a new low of travel to DC. So far this trip has actually been worse than the Breast Feeding fiasco.
I will start with my flight into DC. I left on an earlier flight on Sunday so that I could get in town and do a little settling in. The expected ETA was 2:15ish. We were on approach when the pilot decided to do a little circling around. Then we are informed that we are going to have to be diverted to Richmond, VA so that we can refuel. Turns out there is a "small" storm in the DC area closing down all the airports.

Fast-forward 2.5 hours we get "well folks, the fuel truck is on its way. You may have noticed the storm has passed by here and gone off to the east. As soon as we get the fuel, we'll be on our way." (At some point we were served a granola bar and a glass of water.)

Fast-forward 45 minutes we get "well folks, this is a small airport and there were a lot of planes diverted here, if we can't get off the ground in 30 minutes then we'll have to go to the gate. You'll have the opportunity to get off the plane, but please stay in the gate area as we will take off as soon as we get the okay."

Fast-forward 20 minutes "Please turn off all electronics and put away tray tables."

Fast-forward 30 minutes "Well folks, we didn't make our window so we are going to be pulling into the gate...."

Fast-forward 30 minutes "Please turn off all electronics..."

Woo Hoo!! We are back in the air.

Fast-forward 45 minutes "Welcome to Regan National Airport. Unfortunately, we are not going to be able to get to our gate for a while. Please remain in your seats with your seatbelts on..."

Fast-forard 60 minutes later "Well folks, a gate have finally come availble...."

9:30 PM - I'm about to bitch-slap the guy in my row who has decided to be a gentleman and let the people in the row behind us get off the plane before us... Um, buddy, get the hell outta my way....

10:15 PM - Get to my hotel.... Low room. On the street. Get to hear traffic noise.. Woo and Hoo....

So, if that weren'it enough to represent a really bad trip, today I'm sitting in the office on a conference call and if feels like a big truck just drove by. Gee, that is a little odd we're on the 9th floor... Then, shakey-shakey-shake...5.9 earthquake. I didn't experience this big of an earthquake the entire time I lived in San Francisco!!

Some of the people completely freaked out in the building and then we were all evacuated. I went ahead and grabbed my stuff and my managers' stuff and headed down the 9 flights of stairs. We got yelled out because we weren't at the "designated meeting area". It was then decided to chuck in the towel and everybody, who could headed to their respective abodes. Luckily for me my hotel is a short 1.5 mile walk, so I headed out dodging the crowds from all the other evacuated buildings. Once I finally made it back to the hotel, it turns out that I can't get into my room, not because of the quake, but because of the maid. So, I headed down to the bar and decided to have a couple of nice glasses of Dr. L. Reisling....yum!! (The wine has been the highlight of the trip thus far.)

So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next two days will be uneventful, although I'm NOT holding my breath. And I can only hope that Hurricane Irene holds off until after I take off Thursday evening.... I'll keep you all posted!!

2011 - Book 19 - Murder on the Orient Express

2011-08-12T10:46:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I went to Vegas for a Bachelorette party, which will be its own series of blogs that I just need to sit down and write. Since I was traveling, I had to have a book to read and my boss had recently tried to talk to me about Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, but I had to interrupt him as I hadn't read it. He was shocked and amazed that I had missed that one and insisted that I go out and get it and read it. Well, I always do what my boss tells me to do and so I went and downloaded it to my Kinndle and ate it up on my trip.

It is a classic. Yes, I had if figured out within a couple of pages of the body being found, although I'm not certain if it is because somebody in the past had informed me what the outcome was or if I had heard reference on some show or movie. However, that didn't deter me from reading it all the way through. I still needed to learn how it was all handled and how Hercule Poirot deciphered all the clues.
I give it two thumbs up and if anybody wants a quick read I highly recommend it. It doesn't have the flare and panache of a modern-day murder mystery, but it still a great read.

Leo - The Latest Casa ABBA Addition

2011-07-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

I have a new puppy and we are learning all about one another. I should probably back up just a smidge....

Last weekend I was out for dinner with The Queen and our friend Jennifer. I mentioned that I was thinking of getting a puppy (never mind the whole traveling stuff) and that I saw a picture of a puggle and thought I would get one of those. Fast forward to Wednesday and I get a Facebook flag from Jennifer saying she has a foundling puppy free to a good home. And thought I would love him.

Wednesday evening, I stopped by her place and was introduced to this little rascal and immediately fell in love. Jennifer was ready for me to take him that minute, however, I had to say no at that moment because I did not have a puppy-proofed house at all. Plus, I was leaving on business on Saturday.... In general, I was screwed.

She agreed to keep him on Thursday and take him to the vet (upper respiratory infection) for me. However, she was going out of town on Friday and Saturday, so I had to see if The Queen would take him (luckily she did) and then Jennifer took him back for the week.

Long story short, I finally brought him home with me yesterday and we've now spent a whole 24 hours together. We are learning the dance and I'm so in love with him. What I've learned so far:

He sleeps a lot.
He snuffles and sniffs a lot.
He snores.
He barks, but not much and usually only when there is a sudden sound.
He is a messy drinker.
He smells like Fritos, to me.....I'm thinking of changing his name to Frito or Corn Chip, but will more than likely stick with Leo.
He is getting fixed in the very near future.
I'm gonna have to reorganize my life in order to give him the time he deserves.

The sad thing is, I have to leave him again this coming weekend as I have a trip to Vegas planned. Anybody want to come stay at Casa ABBA for two nights and play baby sitter for me?

2011 Book 18 - Soulless

2011-07-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Finished this book on the flight home on Thursday. Soulless by Gail Carriger was great fun. Here is a synopsis:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and hen the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? Soulless is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It was an incredibly fast read and not too taxing on the brain. While I doing these work trips, I really don't want to have to face a daunting book as the work and the customer is daunting enough. I give this two thumbs up and am preparing to download the next two in the series to my handy-dandy Kindle. The only issue I did have with this book is how the author flip-flopped back and forth in referring her characters. One paragraph she would refer to her as Alexia and the next it would be Miss Tarabotti, but that really one of the few downfalls.

2011 - Book 17 - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

2011-07-16T06:17:00.001-07:00

I just finished Helen Simonson's novel Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and really liked it. Of course, it was one of my Kindle books (have I mentioned how happy my Kindle makes me? More on that later.). So here is the description from Amazon:

In her witty and wise debut novel, newcomer Helen Simonson introduces the unforgettable character of the widower Major Ernest Pettigrew. The Major epitomizes the Englishman with the "stiff upper lip," who clings to traditional values and has tried (in vain) to pass these along to his yuppie son, Roger. The story centers around Pettigrew's fight to keep his greedy relatives (including his son) from selling a valuable family heirloom--a pair of hunting rifles that symbolizes much of what he stands for, or at least what he thinks he does. The embattled hero discovers an unexpected ally and source of consolation in his neighbor, the Pakistani shopkeeper Jasmina Ali. On the surface, Pettigrew and Ali's backgrounds and life experiences couldn't be more different, but they discover that they have the most important things in common. This wry, yet optimistic comedy of manners with a romantic twist will appeal to grown-up readers of both sexes.

As I said before, I really enjoyed this book. I think I channel the Major sometimes because I often find myself echoing his frustration with the "younger" people who lack respect and are only superficial. While the Amazon write up said that this would appeal to both sexes, I personally doubt that, or at least the male writers that I know are not ones that I can see enjoying this story, but I would definitely give it two thumbs up for you female readers out there looking for what is essentially a love story.

Now, onto my latest profession of love for my Kindle... I now take it to the gym with me, increase the font, prop it up on the ledge of the treadmill and read while I work out... GENIUS!!

What I Did on my Stay-cation 2011

2011-07-07T04:33:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday and Friday I decided to take the day off work and have a little "stay-cation". I had made some appointments, but thought they would go quickly and I would have some time to quilt and relax and read and relax..... Here is what actually occurred:

Thursday
9:15 - Labwork/Fasting Blood draw for annual physical. Not too traumatic, other than I don't do well fasting, and I forgot and went to the bathroom before I left the house, which meant my non-blood "sample" was a little challenging to get.
1:00 - Dentist appointment to get a second crown. I didn't think that would be that big of a deal, oh how wrong I was.
1:15 - Actually go back to the chair.
2:00 - Old filling removed and start prepping the tooth for the crown. The dentist is very high-tech and a lot of time is spent getting a perfect CAD picture of the tooth and then having it created on site by a computer and lasers and magic.
2:45ish - Start testing to see if the crown will work by seating it and taking x-rays, etc.
3:30ish - Finally decide that the crown isn't quite right and decide to start over.
4:30 - Start testing to see if the second crown will work. Eureka!! This one works, so let's get the porceline fired.
5:30 - Um, yeah, we're sorry, the crown cooled down too quickly and it cracked. It will take another two hours before it will be ready. Would you like us to send you home with a temporary and we can reschedule at your earliest convenience to get the permanent one in? It will only take about 45 minutes.
6:15 - Leave dentist with temporary crown and appointment for the next day to finish.
6:16 - Cancel plans with my sister as we were going to get together for lunch on Friday....

Friday
8:30 - Mammogram.... Always a pleasant experience, but like I said earlier, I'm getting prepared for my annual physical and want the doctor to have all the necessary information.
11:00 - Return to dentist.
11:20 - Head back to chair.
11:30 - Scream out in pain as they try to remove the temporary crown without any anesthesia.
11:40 - Face is starting to go numb....whew.
11:45 - Temporary crown yanked off.
12:00 - Start prepping the tooth for the newly created crown that was prepared over night.
12:25 - Dentist looks at new crown and says to the assistant "Is this the new crown or the one from yesterday?" Assistant says "New crown." Dentist says "It has a crack in it...."
12:45 - Start creating a new crown....again.
1:45 - New crown is ready. Let's do some x-rays to make certain that it is going to seat correctly and if there are any adjustments that need to be made... Yep, looks good.
2:15 - Start prepping for putting in the latest and greatest crown.
2:30 - Finally get new crown in place and start curing the cement.
2:45 - Cement is cured. Dentist returns to take a look and cleanup some of the cement and check to make certain that the bite is all good.
3:00 - Dentist pops the new crown off in her efforts to clean up the tooth. ABBA almost swallows the crown. Dentist informs ABBA that "hmm, this has never happened before where the crown popped off after being cemented in place."
3:05 - ABBA starts to cry.
3:15 - Start prepping the tooth AGAIN for the crown to be put on.
3:45 - Crown is put in place and cement is cured.
4:00 - Dentist returns and checks things out. Does some cleanup. Ensures that everything looks good.
4:30 - ABBA leaves.
4:45 - ABBA cancels plans with high-school buddy because she is just too worn out and her jaw is still numb and swollen.
7:00 - Numbness is gone and ABBA starts exploring the new tooth and area.... Hmmm, there seems to be a chunk of cement that is scraping the inside of the cheek.... ah well.

Saturday
All Day - In bed or in the bathroom due to the sickness that I get whenever I have anesthesia (no so pleasant).

Sunday
Pleasant afternoon and evening spent with the family seeing the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and fireworks outside with a great picnic.

Monday
Spent the morning with my folks, then swung by and visited my high school friend that I had to cancel on and then home to bed.

Tuesday
Back in the office realizing that I really didn't have much of a vacation..... Ah well, maybe next time.

2011 - Book 16 - The Postmistress

2011-07-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading Sarah Blake's novel The Postmistress. Here is write-up of what the book is about:

In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it.
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. Both both Iris and Frankie know better...
The Postmistress is a tale of two worlds-one shattered by violence, the other willfully naive-and of two women whose job is to deliver the news, yet who find themselves unable to do so. Through their eyes, and the eyes of everyday people caught in history's tide, it examines how stories are told, and how the fact of war is borne even through everyday life.

I give this two definite thumbs up. While it took me a bit to actually get into the story, but once I did, I had a hard time putting the book down. It was actually a very powerful book after having just been to the Holocaust Museum in DC.

I've Been a Bad Blogg

2011-06-28T05:36:00.000-07:00

I so need to apologize to all my faithful readers out there as I have been MIA for a number of weeks now (aside from the short and sweet write-ups of a couple of books). I've had a number of blog-worthy moments over the past two weeks, while traveling to DC, and I'll try and capture the highlights here (and in the future, I'll try to be a better blogger).

Metro Experiences - When I'm in DC, I've actually become that city-girl I always thought I could be and I'm riding the Metro pretty much every day. Mind you, it isn't the most pleasant thing because there is a high percentage of homeless people in DC and they often use the Metro stations as their overnight abode and/or bathroom; so as the heat goes up in the city so does the funk. Luckily one day I had an elderly lady sit down next to me with so much perfume on that it not only covered up the urine smell and general funk smell, but she also managed to make my eyes water and singe my nose hairs.

Shuttle Experiences - When I would travel to one of the offices, I would take the Metro out there and then a shuttle bus would pick me up at the station and drop me at the office building (we around here really need to look at improving our mass transit system and expand the rail system and implement free shuttles to more offices...just saying). The shuttle driver is this older lady who is very, VERY chatty. I learned that her daughter and grandkids live with her because her daughter lost her job. I learned that she has a gun, but it is in multiple parts, but she is pretty certain that if a robber were to break into her house and he was slow, she could put the gun back together fairly quickly, as long as she could remember where all the parts were as well as the ammunition. Speaking of robbers, the only thing worth stealing from her is her old television set and even that isn't worth much, but it is worth more than her car. I also learned that she doesn't understand those of use that work in these offices and are working 10, 12, 15+ hours a day. Her little nugget of wisdom "You only get paid for 8 hours, why work more?"....Ah, if only I could drink THAT koolaid.

Tourist Experiences - I did manage to stay over the weekend this trip, so I did do a little touristing around. Not much mind you because for some reason the summer is a busy time in DC and there were just way too many annoying people around to have to deal with too many of the museums. I did get into the Holocaust Museum, which was a powerful place to go. I can't even begin to describe that experience. After the Holocaust Museum, I went to the Freer Museum where there is a lot of Asian Art, which I'm not a big fan of, but there is also quite a bit of James Abbot McNeil Whistler's work, which I actually do like. There is also what is called "The Peacock Room", which has a lot of vases and the like. It was in there that as I was trying to get a picture of the crackle on one of the vases and had my flash on... Yeah, I was yelled at by the guards about having my flash on... Oops.

Bathroom Experiences - Okay, so I'm not really going to share a whole bunch of bathroom experiences with you other than this one. I went into one of the stalls in the women's room in the office. I noticed that there was a slight crack in the seat, but didn't think anything of it. I put down my seat cover, dropped trou, and proceeded to sit. Mind you I was only doing #1, so there wasn't a lot of pressure needed. But, as soon as I sat down, the friggin' seat broke... Yes, my fat arse broke the toilet seat in a public bathroom. Of course, I couldn't do my business at that point, at least not in that stall, and luckily I was the only person in the restroom, so I quickly pulled up my pants and shuffled to the next stall and completed my mission. I came out of lady's room laughing so hard at myself that I could barely speak. It was literally the cherry topping to a crappy day (no pun intended).

Flight Experiences - Other than the normal delays and the fact that I almost gave myself whiplash when I fell asleep on the flight, nothing too exciting happened at the airport.

So, I think that wraps up the highlights of the last couple of weeks. I promise to try harder in getting my life documented and available for the world to read. Thank you for you patience with me.

2011 - Book 15 - From Dead to Worse

2011-06-25T08:53:00.001-07:00

AND.... the last Sookie Stackhouse novel that I have in my possession From Dead to Worse....

After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina, and the manmade horror of the explosion at the vampire summit, Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But her boyfriend Quinn is among the missing. And things are changing, whether the weres and vamps in her corner of Louisiana like it or not. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death...and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when he fur has finished flying and the cold blood ceases flowing, her world will be forever altered.

I have to say that I am done with this series for the time being. This last book was a little random and felt like the author was trying to wrap up a lot of the story lines that were going on throughout the past 7 books. She also is trying to open up a couple of new lines which may or may not be interesting to follow. I have a number of other books that I want to get through before I start tackling the remaining Sookie books.

2011 - Book 14 - All Together Dead

2011-06-25T08:23:00.001-07:00

Just finished up the final two Sookie Stackhouse books that I have in my possession. I'll first address All Together Dead. Below is what is written on Goodreads about this book:

In All Together Dead, Sookie is trying to put past failed relationships behind her and has a new man in her life: the handsome and mysterious shapeshifter Quinn. But in the wake of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, and with the entire Louisiana supernatural community still reeling. Sookie is summoned by Sophie-Anne Leclerq (the Queen of Louisiana) to accompany her to a historic regional vampire summit. However, the conference - where entire power bases could be gained or lost - is filled with friction and ill will; and when delegates are found brutally murdered, Sookie finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy-ridden power play where the unlikeliest of suspects could be a cold-blooded killer.

As with the other books in this series, they are fast reads and mind candy...but I love 'em. One more to go.....

Whine, Wine, and Zumba?

2011-06-06T10:06:00.001-07:00

Saturday night I went over to the Queen's for some whine and wine time and our friend Joanne was also there to catch up with the Queen. During the conversation, I was asked "what have you done today?" I responded, "Not much, slept, I think I purchased the Zumba DVDs..." This of course caused some confused looks as in "you don't KNOW if you purchased Zumba?!?"

I have a bad habit of rolling out of bed on Saturday and/or Sunday morning and turning on the television at 5:30 - 6:00 AM when I'm still not quite awake, but can't lay in bed any longer. 9 times out of 10 there is an infomercial of some sort on and 8 out of those 9 times it is for some miraculous weight-loss product or excercise equipment. When I'm in the fuzzy morning state, they all seem so brilliant and I just know that THIS will be the one that I'll stick to and become gloriously thin and in shape. Lately, however, I've been able to resist actually purchasing these (and yes, I'm now confessing that I am an infomercial addict and have been known to purchase many a miracle product on-line....).

And yet, this past Saturday morning I couldn't resist. The lure of the rythmic music hooked me and I reached for my computer, logged on, and purchased the DVDs (come on they came with free shipping and the magic shakey-shake sticks). I've convinced myself that I'll be able to travel with these and do them in my hotel room while I'm on the road....

Sunday morning, I checked my email and yes, there was the confirmation that I had actually made the purchase....I'll let you know when I break the shrink-wrap on the package.... Speaking of, does anybody want the complete set of the Billy Blanks Tae-Bo Bootcamp...still in their wrapper....

I know, I'm pitiful...

What A Week

2011-06-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

The week started off relatively normal, aside from it being Memorial Day.... I guess taking that day off jinxed the rest of the week.

Tuesday - Sitting in a meeting and learn that I have to change my upcoming travel plans so that I can be in DC for a specifc 2-day meeting. While this isn't that big of a deal, it did sorta throw off my schedule. the good thing out of changing my travel plans is that now I'll be in DC over a weekend and I'll take that extra time and do some additional exploring. Late afternoon a transformer blew in downtown DC, which caused a complete power outage in much of the metro DC area, including one of the buildings where my customer works, so we had to scramble to get our equipment powered down while the generator was still funcioning so that there wouldn't be damage to equipment or data. We were on conference calls until close to midnight getting things powered down and waiting with hopes that the DC power would come back on....it didn't.

Wednesday/ Thursday morning - We still didn't have power and got about 3 hours of sleep that night as we were doing lots of trouble shooting and remediation planning....Okay, so yeah, I wasn't doing a whole lot of either, but I was documenting everything and coordinating getting people here and there.

Thursday afternoon - I had a scheduled dentist appointment, which I thought was just going to be a cleaning and whitening treatment. I already felt guilty going away from my team, but I couldn't NOT take this appointment which had been set up for a month. So, I go to the dentist (stupid Tomtom got me a little lost, but whatever) and it turns out that it wasn't for a cleaning, it was for a sales pitch and exam and I'm not really certain what it was all for (yeah, I had a coupon). So, after having an exam and a gagillion xrays and pictures taken of my teeth (FYI, if there is ever the need to identify my body just contact this dentist - they have me covered), the dentist comes in and informs of the following: 1. I need to get crowns on two of my teeth that I've had fillings in since practically the womb. 2. I need to get my remaining wisdom teeth extracted. 3. I need to have a deep below the gum scraping something, something....I stopped listening at this point. We landed on getting just one crown on the one tooth that had a crack in it (no wonder that tooth always had pain when I bit down on it)....and it was decided that we would go ahead and do the crown right then.

Five hours later, I left with a face that looked like I had a stroke because of the local anesthesia, my jaw completely dis-located from the what I'm pretty certain was 20 people in my mouth at one time, and a lighter wallet.... Ah well, I guess we have to suffer sometimes for health purposes even though I'd really rather just let all my teeth fall out of my head before I return to the dentist (don't worry, that won't happen, but it is a thought).

When I got home from the dentist I ended up back on a conference call dealing with more work stuff, even though I couldn't actually talk...remember stroke victim...until close to midnight when we finally felt confident that all systems were back to their normal state.

Today, I was supposed to volunteer at a golf tournament, but either from my lack of sleep and the haze that I was driving in or the fact that Tomtom couldn't find where I was supposed to go, I ended up driving around this community for almost an hour and never able to find where I was supposed to be. I ended up just coming home and even though I felt really bad about not being there I also felt that the fact that I kept falling asleep whenever I stopped moving was a sign.....

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weekend is quiet. I've got 'wine and whine' scheduled with The Queen for tomorrow and going to hopefully do some sewing... One thing is for certain, I really do NOT want to relive this week.

Working the Drive-thru...

2011-06-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

As I pulled away from the drive-thru window at Chic-fil-a grabbing dinner this evening, I started thinking about how pleasant the people working there were and then I started thinking about how nice my first job at McDonalds was when I was just a fresh high school graduate and sometimes wish I could go back to working the drive thru window....

when the only things I had to worry about on the job were making sure to get the fries out of the grease and skim it regularly;

having to tell a customer that the shake machine was on the fritz and I couldn't sell them one (or worse, actually having to clean the shake machine);

or the time when we ran out of Happy Meal toys and tried to substitute plastic spoons (yeah, not one of the shining moments in my golden arches career).

It was such an easier life and somedays (especially days like this) I really think about throwing my hands up and going back to that easy life of asking "would you like fries with that?".... Heck, I'd even be willing to go back to the nasty brown, polyester uniform....

Ah well, I can dream, right?

2011 - Book 13 - The Hunger Games

2011-05-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

I just finished the first book in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy, appropriately titled The Hunger Games. Since I actually read the book version of this and not on my Kindle, I can provide what is written on the back of the book:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I'm very excited to move on to the next one in this series. Amazon had been recommending these books to me for quite sometime, but I never opted to purchase them. Then I saw them listed in the "young adult" area at Target and had one of those magical thoughts that perhaps the "young adult" in my life may have read these books and still have them.... lo and behold, she did. So I've borrowed these books from my niece (so nice that she and I can share literature).
I give this book a thumbs up. It is entertaining and intriguing, while not Ayn Rand, it did remind me of some of her work...

2011 - Book 12 - Definitely Dead

2011-05-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

I'm still loving the bring candy that is the Sookie Stackhouse series. I just finished the 6th book in the series and here is what is posted on the Amazon.com site about this book:

Sookie Stackhouse once tried to keep her mind-reading capabilities secret, but the word is definitely out in Bon Temps, Louisiana, her hometown, leading local police to call on her to help find a missing child. There's a new man, were-tiger Quinn, in the picture, too, but on their first date, two were-people attack them. Sookie isn't sure whether she or Quinn was the target but is soon distracted by a more pressing problem. Cousin Hadley, a vampire, has been murdered, and Sookie has inherited her apartment, meaning she has to go to New Orleans to uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death and meet with Hadley's lover, the Vampire Queen herself. Though not quite as driven as past entries in Harris' Southern Vampire series--Sookie doesn't get to New Orleans until a third of the way in--this is a gratifying read for Sookie's fans because of a major surprise for Sookie about one of her old lovers.

So, I'm down to two left in what I've downloaded to my Kindle, and while I stated above that I'm enjoying these books, I'm about ready to be done with them for a while and move on to something else. Maybe this weekend I'll focus on a non-e-book and finish something completely different....
I also think I need to put the Trueblood series on my wish list because I've very, VERY intrigued as to how these characters translated into "flesh and blood" so to speak....but not until I'm done reading about them, I hate to be tainted by someone else's vision....

2011 Book 11 - Dead as a Doornail

2011-05-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

As mentioned before, I am tearing through these Sookie Stackhouse books on my Kindle!!
Here is the write up from "the back" of the book (as known as what amazon.com says about the book):

Sookie Stackhouse just can't seem to stay away from the supernatural denizens of Bon Temps, Louisiana. In Dead to the World (2004), she found herself embroiled in vampire politics; this time around, she's involved in the machinations of the Were-people, whose pack leader has just passed away. -Alcide Herveaux asks her to accompany him to the funeral, where Alcide's father declares his candidacy against a slimy, calculating rival. Angry at being drawn into the conflict, Sookie can't distance herself entirely, because a sniper has been taking shots at Were-people, and the community suspects Sookie's brother, Jason, a new shape-shifter. Sookie's love life is every bit as complicated as usual, and her collection of would-be beaux continues to grow. Also, someone wants her dead, which she learns when an assailant sets fire to her beloved house. Harris' southern vampire series remains one of the best of the breed, concocted out of just the right mixture of humor, intrigue, and excitement. Its latest entry does not disappoint.

Unfortunately, like so many other things with empty calories, this brain-candy is starting to possibly decay my synapses and I probably need to shift gears and read some other genre shortly.....
Oh, who am I kidding, I've only got three more of these to read and then I find something else to tear through!!

It Is Getting a Little Better

2011-05-25T17:24:00.000-07:00

So, I've now made it through 3 days here and yes, things are starting to turn up a little bit... Okay, maybe not looking up so much as no longer looking down.

I've conquered the Metro. I have figured how to get on the correct train to take me to the office AND the right one to get me back to the hotel. Trust me, this is a big deal.... Momma - your baby's growin' up!!

I took a great walk yesterday evening. I left the hotel and walked down to the National Mall and then the length of the Mall down to Capital Hill and back up. Walking along the Mall was so very cool. There is so much activity going on along the mall; I saw people running and walking, laying around reading, teams of interns playing softball, Frisbee football, and dodge ball. The air was warm with a nice breeze. I saw baby ducks in the water feature at the Ulysses S. Grant memorial. I have to say that I do love this city.

I had a very unhealthy, yet tasty, hot dog from a snack truck for lunch.

And, today, I was mistaken not once but TWICE as a "native" and was asked for directions from "tourists" as I crossed the Mall on my way back to the hotel. Sadly, on said walk "home", I somehow tweaked my hips and now my lower back hurts and should probably get out of this chair and more around rather than continue to write about my day...

Let's keep our fingers crossed that tomorrow continues on this upward trajectory.

So Far, Not So Good

2011-05-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I got a little full of myself when I had such a great day on Saturday. I think karma has decided that I deserved a little smack down because so far, this trip to DC has NOT been stellar. And, yeah, I am only on my first day, but I'm ready to throw in the towel and if I could only stay in bed the rest of the week in my hotel room, it might actually approved. But, let me start at the beginning....

My Flight -

It was a jam-packed flight and I knew it was going to be bad when 1/2 the flight loaded when they called for the Priority Access group. Now, I splurged on myself and paid the extra money to get the bulkhead seat, so I was still feeling pretty positive. When I got on, I noticed that the air was a little funky, like stale bathroom, so I was pretty happy that I wasn't in first class and having to face that for 3 hours. I get to my seat and there is a guy on the aisle and I'm by the window, I have my fingers crossed that maybe, just maybe nobody will sit in the center seat....yeah, that didn't happen. First across the aisle from us a lady and her son and their companion realized that they weren't actually sitting together so for some reason they gave the 9 year old the bulkhead seat without him actually understanding that he couldn't have his computer out until after takeoff and he couldn't keep it on the floor at his feet. So they completely blocked traffic until they finished their conversation and got settled. Finally, the center seat person arrived.... A lovely lady with her one year old son, who traveled on her lap. He was a cute little kid who managed to kick me almost the entire trip. If he wasn't kicking me he kept grabbing at my shoulder. I accept my fate and hunker down with my book and wait to take off. We finally head out to the runway and start taking off. Now I've been staring out the window up to this time, but I kinda realize that the kid next to me is pretty quiet, so I glance to my left to just see how everybody else on my row is doing. I'm glad to know that the mom read that it is good to have a baby feeding during take off to help with the pressure in their ears; my sister did this with Kathleen when we flew with her when she was a baby. Unfortunately, this lady was not feeding this cute little boy with a bottle....she was breast feeding him....without a privacy blanket. Yep, you read that correctly boob whipped out on the plan with the kid clamped on. Do NOT get me wrong, I'm completely okay with natural feeding, but I think there needs to be some sort of privacy blanket or something. I felt really bad for the guy sitting on the other side of her because he was totally blushing as the boob being used was the one closest to him (ergo, I was being kicked by the kid). So, we get in the air and the lady pretty much took over all of our space, she ended up using my tray to hold her drink because she had the kid on her lap. She pulled a brownish banana out of her bag and ate it next to me. Again, I have nothing against bananas, but I don't like the lingering smell. Time went on and we finally approached landing, well, you guessed it the kid got his treat to help with the ears we landed, but this time she switched boobs, so this time it was the one closest to me. I didn't even mention yet the fact that the flight was bumpy and late and I swore at one point that the little yellow oxygen masks were going to drop from the ceiling and I was going to be forced to elbow the lady if she tried to take my mask and give it to her kid....Luckily, that didn't happen. (I did have one sick thought though when the kid's little bare baby foot was kicking me.... Wouldn't those make the cutest little keychains, kinda like rabbits feet, except they wouldn't stay cute and plump once removed from the body....) So, all in all, perhaps one of the most uncomfortable flights that I've been on (aside from the one where the woman went into seizures in the aisle right next to me.

Additional Travel Day Issues

Stood in line 30 minutes to get a cab and ended up sharing one with a stranger.

Stood in line to check in to the hotel.

Was given the worse room.... I am in the room RIGHT NEXT TO THE elevator on the backside of the building so that I have no phone reception on either of my cell phones.

First Day In the Office

Okay, so there really wasn't any one thing that was horrific when I got to the office. In fact, the day ran pretty much as expected, meaning I managed to get absolutely nothing done because I was running around trying to put out fires. However, about an hour before time to leave as I was headed to yet another meeting, I stopped to chat with one of my folks and did something with the heel of my shoe and managed to break it. These were some of my favorite shoes that I've had for a long time. I was surprised that I was able to break is because it was a pretty substantial heel. I left the office and walked back to the hotel. About a block from the hotel, it started raining....not a big deal, but just a cherry to top off the day. I did run up to my room, quickly changed, and ran out in the rain down to Filene's Basement and found a replacement pair of black heels to get me through the rest of the week. I stopped at this little deli next to the hotel that I've stopped at before every time I've been in town and picked up a chicken margherita pizza. After it was cooked and the girl was putting it into the box, she turned around and kinda gave me this look. I didn't think anything of it, although I probably should have. When I got back up to my room and settled in to have dinner I opened the box and realized that the reason she was giving me that look was because somehow as she was putting the pizza into the box, she managed to drop part of it on the floor (or somewhere), so I was a slice short....maybe that isn't a bad thing, but still....
So, do we think the week is going to improve?!?

Yesterday was a Good Day!!

2011-05-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing overly exciting happened to me yesterday, but as I crawled into bed last night, I was happy. Here's a quick recap:

Morning - I got up and participated in an official 3-Day Training Walk. I did one last week as well and met Shannon Kmak. Last week when we showed up at the training walk they told us that if we hadn't come with a friend that we needed to have a walking buddy just so we could have somebody to watch our back and vice-versa. She and I turned to each other and introduced ourselves. During the walk as we got to know one another, we learned that we both worked for Dell and both knew the Queen. This week we walked and talked and made plans to work in the afternoons when I'm in town. I also came across her blog, Crazy Pink Life, after I got home. So, yeah, it was a good morning with a good walk, new friends, and some laughs.

Afternoon - I have finally admitted that I'm never going to have a clean house, which means, I'm not going to have anybody come over to a dirty house. Okay, so this isn't really something new. My entire family can attest to the fact that I suck at housecleaning and in general turn a blind eye to my own filth... yeah, ewwww. Yesterday, I had a maid service come in and they made my house sparkle. I LOVE having a clean house and not actually having to do the work myself. I now have them scheduled to come every other week when I'm in town, so hopefully this clean house happiness will last!!

Evening - I met up with one of my oldest friends, Anna Marie, for dinner. We spent a couple of hours eating some good Italian food and catching up, laughing, and sharing.

So, yesterday was a good day!!

2011 Book Ten - Dead to the World

2011-05-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still tearing through the Sookie Stackhouse series of novels. A little background from the Amazon.com write-up since I do not have the book to actually quote from:

Fans of Laurell Hamiltons' Anita Blake looking for a lighter version of the vampire huntress should cotton to Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic Louisiana gal who really wants to be normal, but suffers from a huge self-confidence problem, a case of permanent bad luck, difficult relatives and a penchant for attracting unsavory characters of the not-quite-human kind. In this fourth quirky installment in this hitherto mass-market series (after 2003's Club Dead), Sookie finds that her bad luck has taken a new turn for the worse. Sookie's love interest, Bill the vampire, runs off to Peru to do research. In his place, Sookie is stuck with Eric, Bill's boss (and head vamp for the district), who appears out of thin air buck naked with no memory of who he is or what he does. Coincidentally, Sookie's brother Jason goes missing. Less coincidentally, but more ominously, a coven of witches (who also happen to be shape-shifters and vampire blood addicts) comes rolling into the nearest big city, looking for trouble. Consistent, well-built charactes and as trong, action-packed plot that will keep readers guessing to the end distinguish this frothy fusion of romance, mystery, and fantasy.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I am really enjoying this series and it is great to not have to think to much when I'm reading. Basically, there isn't much left to say, I'm just documenting what I'm reading at this point. If your into the series, join me in the brain-candy pleasure!!

Oh, and now that Amazon has pointed out Laurell Hamilton, I guess I'll have to look into that author...amazing how one thing quickly leads to another!!

2011 Book Nine - Club Dead

2011-05-17T05:59:00.001-07:00

So, I've finished another book on my beloved Kindle. And, yes, it is the third in the Sookie Stackhouse series. This one, Club Dead, was a quick read that I enjoyed...I love the brain candy that these books afford me. Here is the write up from Amazon:

Sookie Stackhouse is having man trouble. Her vampire boyfriend, Bill, has been distant and inattentive lately. Then he announces that he is going on a business trip, which clearly is more than it seems. After a werewolf tries to abduct Sookie at work, Bill's boss, Eric, tells her that Bill fell under the sway of his--Bill's, that is--ex, a sexy vamp named Lorena, and has been kidnapped. Eric wants Sookie's help in getting Bill back, and despite her hurt over Bill's betrayal, Sookie agrees to go to Jackson, Mississippi, to find her wayward lover. Eric has persuaded Alcide, a dashing werewolf, to get Sookie access to Josephine's, aka Club Dead, the local hangout of Jackson's supernatural element. In between dodging kidnappers, the advances of amorous Eric, and her growing feelings for Alcide, Sookie has to find out who kidnapped Bill and figure out a way to rescue him. With some droll touches--Elvis, now a vampire, is Sookie's faithful guard --Club Dead is ideal for readers who like their vampire fiction light, humorous, and fast-paced.

As I stated earlier, I am enjoying these books immensely and am having a hard time pulling myself away from reading and actually getting stuff that I need to do done. Ah well, we all need down time, right?

Weirdest DC Trip Yet

2011-05-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

So, I'm on my 3rd trip in a month and a half and while I'm starting to get in a travel groove, I have to say that so far this trip has been a little wack-a-do...

Plane actually landed 10 minutes early.

Last 30 minutes on the flight, everybody had to remain seated and all electronics had to be off. This would be a downside of the Kindle (which I still love), so I had to break the rules and keep my Kindle on so that I could continue reading...suck it American Airlines.

I am in the exact same room as I was last trip, just a floor down, and two floors down from the same room two trips ago.

This morning as I'm finishing up getting ready, I hear somebody trying to get into the room and then a knock, so I open the door and there is a lady there who has just been given my room....um no.

I get back to my room this evening and I walk in and it turns out that my room is not on somebody's clean up list because nothing was done in here... I guess they decided that they can give it to somebody else as long as they don't bother making the bed....

I saw a visually impared lady on the street with a beautiful black lab service dog.... but she was bopping away to her ipod....

I offered to help a lady with a walker get into a cab and she yelled at me.... she looked a little like the mama from Throw Mama from the Train...

I'm sure there will be more wack-a-do things to happen, but it is only Monday. And, yeah, I realize that in the grand scheme of things these aren't all that wack-a-do, but it gives you an idea of what I'm experiencing out here.

In Memorium....

2011-05-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Required Reading: Seve Ballesteros Passes Away
As most of you know, I'm NOT the biggest sports fan in the world...and especially not golf. However, I remember when Seve first hit the scene and I saw him playing golf (if we were at my grandparents and golf was on....we'd be watching it) I got a big ol' crush on him. This is sadness for the golf community....

Smarty Pants

2011-05-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

I've recently had an obsession with Smart Water (only because it is usually cheaper than other waters when I go and buy it).

And I have found that I have a love for White Cheddar popcorn, specifically Smartfood brand....

Do you think I'll actually gain any "smarts" from eating these?

2011 Book Eight - Living Dead in Dallas

2011-04-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

I have to tell you that I'm truly addicted to my Kindle....I'm seeing an episode of Intervention coming soon....

I spent all day today reading the second in the Sookie Stackhouse series Living Dead in Dallas. Here is what would be on the back of the book, if I had a physical book:

Waiting tables, sweeping floors, reading minds and solving mysteries for the undead. It's all in a day's work for Sookie...

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of real bad luck. First, her co-worker gets murdered and no one seems to care. Then Sookie is attacked - and poisoned - late one night by some weird and apparently mythical beast. She only survives because the local vampires roll up and graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But in return the blood-suckers need a favor.

Which is why Sookie ends up in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire, on the condition that her undead friends don't do anything, well, vampiric while she's there. Easier said than done. All it takes in one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...

As I said earlier, I tore through this book today and only was able to stop myself from getting engulfed in the next one because I have a commitment this evening and some work to do tomorrow. While, these books are no literary masterpieces, they are fun mind candy and I'm obviously enjoying reading them.

Perhaps, I should hold off on reading anymore on the Kindle until my next trip....

2011 Book Seven - Dead Until Dark

2011-04-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

I'm traveling every other week now and decided that carrying my library is really tough, so I bought a Kindle and the first books that I downloaded were the first 8 in the Sookie Stackhouse series. If you are unfamiliar with the series it is what the HBO series True Blood is based on. The first book that is Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. Since I am downloading the books, I don't have the back of the book to quote here, however here is what is written up on the Amazon site:

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life - and one of her coworkers checks out.....
Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

This book was a great, fast read and I'm already 1/3 of the way into the next in the series. I have a feeling that for some light sumer time (and plane) reading, this set of books is going to be great!!

On a different note, completely away from the book..... I LOVE my Kindle!! The thing that is great about it is that I can't read ahead. With a "real" book, I am in the habit of flipping to the back of the book and/or the last chapter and reading how the book ends after a couple dozen pages, and the Kindle doesn't easily allow me to do that (and if it does, I haven't figured out how to do it, which is a good thing).

Okay, now I'm off to chomp through my next book!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 30

2011-04-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Someone You Miss

My first thought was to post pictures of the people in my life who have died. And then I was going to post pictures of the people who are far away. But then I had a thought: Someone I really miss is the person I used to be....

At one time in my life I was pretty carefree and goofy and didn't care if I acted the fool in public and with my friends. I miss that girl. I'm finding that girl again, but it is taking time and there are a lot of walls that have to be climbed, but I'm going to get there.....

30 Day Challenge - Day 29

2011-04-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Someone who Inspires You

Many historical figures inspire me..... but Abraham Lincoln was a great man. I wish I could stand up for all humans the way that he did.

(That and I think this is a really cool picture that I took....)

30 Day Challenge - Day 28

2011-04-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of something you're afraid of I do not like crowds. I do not like to be in crowds and I freak out (mostly internally) whenever I am in a crowd. Is it any wonder that I am a huge fan of wide open spaces and why I think I really want to retire in the desert mountains someday? I do have other things that I'm afraid of such as fire.

And then there are the things that are harder to represent in pictures....

I don't like loud noises. For example, I always tend to get a little freaked out when there are fireworks close to me. My family has learned to accept this and support me when we go to the fireworks shows on July 4th.

I am afraid of dying alone. When you do a google search for images of "dying alone" you get back some very odd things, and I just really didn't want to include any of those here.

30 Day Challenge - Day 27

2011-04-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of yourself and a family member

I have so many pictures to choose from, but this picture makes me happy. It is a picture of my Dad and me at Muir woods.

30 Day Challenge - Day 26

2011-04-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of something that means a lot to you

Initially I was going to put pictures of my friends and family here, but thought differently as I've given so much homage to them over this month. Instead, I decided to dedicate this blog to two things that do man a lot to me..... Art and Nature and since both of these pictures were taken on a trip to Washington DC, they represent something else that means a lot to me and that is my country. I'm not going to get all political and preachy here, but I do believe strongly in what our country used to represent, what our constitution represents, and what our country was built on....

But, back to Art and Nature.... Ahhhh, they are our blessings and lets hope that we never lose them.

Day 30 Challenge - Day 25

2011-04-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Something You Wish You Were Better At

I really wish I was better at exercising. Deep down in side of me there is an athlete, I just know it. If only I would let her out. I know that it only takes me getting off the couch and as Nike says "just do it."

30 Day Challenge - Day 24

2011-04-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of your day.

In case you haven't figured this out yet, I do have put all these posts together and then scheduled them to be posted. So, when I first came across this requirement, I was trying to find a picture of a woman staring at a computer screen or something else to reflect the fact that my day is typically spent in front of a computer or on a phone or in a meeting or some other mundane office activity. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate my job and am glad that I have one, but I am not an office drone and really have a much more artistic soul that has to be suppressed when in the office. However, I then looked at the calendar to see what day of the week April 24th actually fell on this year and saw that it fell on a Sunday and I can't tell you how excited I was knowing that I would not actually be in the office, or at least I shouldn't be, and that I could display what I will be doing on this day.
Okay, so I will not be laying naked on a hillside reading, but there is a strong possibility that I will spend at least a portion of this day outside reading. This picture makes me happy, though, which is why I posted it instead of the skinny girl in bed reading.... If I'm not outside reading (or inside on the couch for that matter), then I will more than likely be doing some quilting. Following is a picture of Caryl Bryer Fallert, who is an amazing quilter and her use of color is unbelievable. I probably should have referenced her on Day 13 when I mentioned Freddy Moran as one of my favorite artists because Caryl is right up there as well, however, her name did not jump to the forefront of my mind, which tells me that while I admire her work and use of color, perhaps my subconscious is telling me something different.

Day 30 Challenge - Day 23

2011-04-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Your Favorite Book Yes, my favorite book has the flavor of The Bible, but that isn't my favorite book. My favorite book is Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. This book makes me laugh, and it is one that I will read again and again. I know that there are some of you out there that won't appreciate this book as much as I do, and that is okay....that is what makes this such a great country.

30 Day Challenge - Day 22

2011-04-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Something you Wish you Could Change

I didn't really want to take a picture of my fat ass and post it out here, so I thought I would try and think more globally in what I want to change.

And, I know that I can't change the whole world but I can make the small changes in my own actions that can have small impacts. We must always remember the Ghandi quote "Be the change you want to see in the world."

How fitting that today is Earth Day!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 21

2011-04-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Something you Wish you could Forget....

So, I obviously don't want to forget books or letters or pages..... but I couldn't think of anything else to put here, so I did a search on "blank page" (which is kinda like a blank mind). I've obviously forgotten anything that I could put here, so the faulty memory is working. Sadly, I'm forgetting things more and more often lately. Today alone, I forgot to put the lid down on my washing machine not once, but twice.... If I don't make a list, I always forget to do something. I should probably look into finding one of those programs that helps improve my memory....

Guess I'll add that to the list.

30 Day Challenge - Day 20

2011-04-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of somewhere you would travel.

Rome....

I actually have tentative plans to travel there in 2012. Some ladies that I know through work, although I've actually only met two of them in person, are planning a trip to Rome and have included me. While I know there will be a lot of things about this trip that will annoy the poo out of my, mainly the actual traveling and the crowds that I'm certain will be there, there are so many things that are calling me to join them. For one, this trip will force me out of my hermit hole and I'm certain will lead to a fabulous adventure. For another, I need to visit Europe again before I die.

Yes, I have visited Europe once before when I was 17 and in high school. Trust me, I did not appreciate it nearly as much as I should have. I thank my parents for sending me, even though at one point there was a strong possibility that they were going to say no because I was acting like a spoiled 17-year-old brat, but luckily they did agree and I have a wonderful time...well, I had a good time....ummm, I remember some things when I look at my pictures....

Anyway, this next trip will be London and Rome, or at least I think that is what the plan is. We aren't going until May of next year, so there is still a little time, but I do need to go ahead and purchase my "Learn to Speak Italian" CDs so that I will be able to chat fluently with all the natives.

30 Day Challenge - Day 19

2011-04-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of something you want to do before you die.

I want to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. I know it is crazy since I'm so very out of shape and am not a hiker in any way, shape, or form, but when I first heard about this from my friend Samantha, I was intrigued and then when I actually went to Yosemite I was hooked. This seems like something that would really push me to a point beyond what I can imagine.

Here is a shot of the cables they have to assist people in the climb:

However, to be completely honest, if I just hike up to the Sub-Dome point along some of the trails, I think I would probably be pretty happy with myself....

30 Day Challenge - Day 18

2011-04-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Your Biggest Insecurity

I'm not insecure about the woods, I like the woods....

No, I'm insecure about being a Leader and I'm faced with being one now.

I was recently promoted to a team lead position and to say the least, I'm a little freaked out about it. I'm touched that my bosses felt confident in putting me in the position and I want to deliver on their expectations. I also want to be able to guide and motivate my team, formerly my peers, and that is challenging.

Years ago I went to New Orleans with a bunch of my college friends for New Years Eve. We had a fabulous time, even though we were only there for 2 nights (eh, we were all still very young and could bounce back quickly). New Years Eve we went to Pat O'Briens Piano Bar and drank Hurricanes and sang and rang in the new year with great frivolity. The second night, we returned to Bourbon Street, with a slightly lower-key agenda. We hit a couple of bars, a voodoo shop, etc. One of the things that I did, and a couple of others as well, was I had some random Gypsy woman in some ally read my palm. During this reading, she told me that I was a leader and needed to except that fact as I would perform well at it. Well, I've avoided this mantel for probably 15 years as I never really saw myself as a leader. I've always seen myself as a support person. I once had a manager tell me I was like his Radar from M*A*S*H because I knew what needed to be done before he even asked for it. Maybe that is because I've been able to see the big picture as a leader should and not just my individual pixel in that picture.

Anyway, I'm taking on the challenge, but I'm scared to death that somebody is going to realize that I don't have a clue what I'm doing and that my feet are bleeding from all the tap-dancing....

Keep your fingers crossed for me....

2011 Book Six - In The Woods

2011-04-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

I just finished In The Woods by Tana French. First, the back of the book:

The debut novel of an astonishing new voice in psychological suspense. In Tana French's powerful debut thriller, three children leave their small Dublin neighborhood to play in the surrounding woods. Hours later, their mothers' calls go unanswered. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children, gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, Detective Rob Ryan - the found boy, who has kept his past a secret - and his partner Cassie Maddox investigate the murder of a twelve-year-old girl in the same woods. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him, and that of his own shadowy past.

First, I want to say that I picked this book up innumerable times and put it back down trying to decide if I wanted to read it. Obviously, I finally made up my mind and got the book and did read it. Second, the premise was incredibly intriguing.... Sadly, though, I don't think it panned out. The story-line felt forced at times and there wasn't the big "oh my goodness, THAT is what happened...." moment at the end that I kept hoping for. Much like the case in the book, it felt like the author got a little bored and just decided to wrap it all up, stick a stamp on it, and mail it in.

Don't get me wrong, the writing is good and the first part with some of the character development was interesting, I just feel that the author realized that she needed to wrap it all up and be done with it and did so in a somewhat predictable manner leaving lots of stuff that I felt was promised in the early pages unanswered....

Ah well, they can't all be edge-of-your-seat-page-turners, now can they?

Would I recommend this book? Yeah, I probably would. Would I read another of this author? Possibly, I think she does have talent and perhaps in her next books she'll be able to flow better and either answer all the questions or leave the reader on edge waiting for the next installment...this had neither.

30 Day Challenge - Day 17

2011-04-17T01:00:00.001-07:00

A Picture of Something that has had a Huge Impact on Your Life

The challenge said that this was something that had a huge impact "recently", but I didn't want to follow that instruction....

No, I am not quite the Aggie football fanatic that the Queen is, however, I did graduate from Texas A&M and Aggie football had a big impact on that aspect of my life.

When I was a Senior in Highschool, I applied to Texas A&M and The University of Texas at Austin. Having not actually grown up in Texas and not having any long-seated love (or knowledge) of either schools, I didn't really know where I wanted to go. By the fall of my Senior year, I had already been accepted at both schools. Across the board everything was pretty much the same. I had housing both places. Since they were both state schools the cost was about the same (although to be completely honest, I couldn't tell you if that was a fact as I'm sure that is something my parents were looking at more so than me). In general, the two options were interchangeable.

That Thanksgiving, 1985, as I'm walking through the living room my dad said something to the effect "Honey, both your schools are playing." I replied "Whover wins, that's where I'm going..."

Guess who won....

So, yeah, I'd say that A&M football had a pretty big impact on my life. It helped make one of the biggest decisions of my life. Admittedly, I sometimes wonder how different my life would have been if the Longhorns had a better team that year.... but, you know.... I look much better in Maroon than I do in Burnt Orange.

30 Day Challenge - Day 16

2011-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

Picture That Can Always Make You Smile.

I have a great love for nature and sunrises and sunsets always make me smile. In fact, when I see a really beautiful sunrise or sunset I will clap and cheer on Mother Nature.

Today is my birthday and this picture makes me smile because I'm so very excited about my cake!!

This is a picture of me and my Dad when we took a family trip to Florida one Christmas and one day we went out to the beach. I've given so much representation to my mom and sister and others in this series, but I want everybody to know how important my dad is to me. There are so many things that I see in myself I have learned from my Dad.

30 Day Challenge - Day 15

2011-04-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Someone You Could Never Imagine Your Life Without.

I know I have been giving lots and lots of shout outs to my family, but they are SOOO very important to me and it wasn't until I started going through this challenge that I realized the impact they were on my life.

I decided that my mom is one of the many people that I can't imagine my life without. I wanted to include all the other men, women, and children that I've acknowledged throughout my blog, but then it becomes a repeat of every other post.

As I was debating who I should acknowledge in this post, I went to my mom's site and she had a picture there that is the EXACT same picture that I used in my post (actually two of her pictures) and I realized how much she and I think alike. Both of my parents have had a big impact on who I am today. But I have a really close relationship with my mom. Don't get me wrong she drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes, but who doesn't.... Mom has the advantage of watching me and learning my moods over many, many years and she knows when to back off and give me ABBA time.

Not only does Mom KNOW me, but she has also taught me so much. She has taught me an incredible appreciation for art and literature. She has given me the support to become the strong, independent woman that I am. She taught me the joys of laughing until I cry and crying until I laugh. She has taught me to respect myself, my fellow humans, and Mother Earth. I've watched her since I was a little girl standup for those in need. She has always been an amazing role model in her word and actions.

To put it mildly, I love her!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 14

2011-04-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Picture that Makes You Laugh

A Young Kathleen wearing my old Texas A&M sweatshirt.... Oh, if she would only realize her destiny and go there!!

I LOVE this picture of me and my grandpa. There is no telling what we are laughing at, but that man had a great laugh and even though he was rough and gruff with us grandkids, I know there was so much love there!!

My Dad used to be able to do headstands in the middle of the floor and I always thought that was like magic!! (By the way, the socks that he is wearing in this picture with his pants tucked in are wool socks he had when stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. At some point when I was in college, I some how got my hands on them and I wore those socks into nothing. When I finally threw them away the heels and toes were completely gone.)

This is my mom, sister, and me one Halloween....Do you see a theme of just how wack-a-do my mom is?!? But, come on, how could this picture NOT make you laugh?!?

30 Day Challenge - Day 13

2011-04-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of your favorite band or artist

I do not have a favorite band that I would want to represent here. I appreciate lots of bands and lots of music and my "favorite" may change from one day to the next. I do, however, have some favorite artists.

I LOVE Georgia O'Keeffe. Her paintings, her life, her essence inspire me and I don't have the worlds to appropriately explain how much I love her and her work. My mom is a huge fan of hers as well, so I don't know if my original love was because of my wanting to emulate my mother; but I know now as an adult that it isn't just my mother's influence.

However, if I'm going to call out an artist that I can actually imagine being, I would have to say Freddy Moran. I tried to find her website, but she doesn't seem to have one.... This is a woman who is not afraid of color and has stated that "red is a neutral". I took a class from her many years ago and loved it. She uses color and pattern in a whimsical manner that is so very, very free and really does inspire me. I want to be able to be that free with my quilting.

Of course, two of my favorite artists are my Mom and Dad (and yes, Dad, you ARE an artist).

30 Day Challenge - Day 12

2011-04-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Picture of Something you Love

Chocolate Shoes.... Well, I love chocolate and I love shoes, so when I found an image of shoes made out of chocolate, I couldn't resist!!

Duh.... My family. This is a shot of our recent trip out to Big Bend area up in the Davis Mountains.

So, this one is a little strange.... It isn't that I don't love peppers, although they aren't my FAVORITE food in the world, but I'm not showing this picture as a love for the food... Instead, what this picture represents is my love of color and especially those found in nature. Give me lots and lots of color and it really does bring a HUGE smile to my face.

Funny thing is, that I made a trip to Target the other day and after I got home I was looking at what I bought and it was black pants, grey sweater, black t-shirt, grey t-shirt, white lamp bases, black lamp shades.... am I seeing trend....

30 Day Challenge - Day 11

2011-04-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of something you hate. In actuality, I hate all violence.... I have nothing else to say.

30 Day Challenge - Day 10

2011-04-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

Picture of the Person you do the Most Messed Up Things With

The Queen - Enough said...

Jill and Sam - Who else could get me to go camping and actually enjoy it!!

Angelia and Seamus - High School friend and her husband. These are my Faire people. They've convinced me on more than one occasion to put on a corset... Angie had me doing some very wacky things in high school, such as trick-or-treating as Seniors. We at least did let the little kids get their treats before we started going around.

My Mom... Yes, this is my mom, dressed up like a gorilla.
I would have to define what "most messed up things" would be. I was never really a hell raiser. I rarely got into trouble. I wasn't one of those kids who rebelled and snuck out of the house, etc. I did drink in high school, but that was probably my only vice. These are, however, some of the people that I have had the best time with over time. I would have a picture of my sister up here as well, but yesterday's blog was dedicated to her, so I need to give a little bit of a shout out to those other people who I've been known to go a little crazy with.

30 Day Challenge - Day 9

2011-04-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

Picture of the Person Who has Gotten You Through the Most

This month is turning into an Ode to My Big Sister!!

I don't know if she knows how much of an impact she has had on my life.

When we were little and she was in school and I was still at home and there was a party in her class, she would either try and get an extra cupcake or cookie and bring it home to me or she would eat only half of hers and bring the rest home.
Always growing up, I knew that she was there for me. There were times when we would drift apart...she was in high school and I was in Jr. High... She had a boyfriend and older friends and I was the bratty little sister. But even though, I would find that one little thing to pick at with her, she tolerated me and still loved me.
She took me to my first fraternity party when I went to visit her in college.
What she might not know is that she is my rock. When there have been times when I wanted to completely give up on everything, I would think about Marti and know that I didn't want to disappoint her or lose her trust or her love.
In looking through old pictures of there are so many of the two of us that I could have pages and pages and pages of pictures to show, but I'm selecting these three from around 1973... aren't we adorable!!

I love you, Marti!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 8

2011-04-08T01:00:00.001-07:00

A Picture of You and the Person You Have Been Close with for the Longest

Mom, Marti (sister), and Salty (dog). (I'm sportin' a black eye from falling off a tractor.)

Dad and Marti. Check it, I'm wearing my cowgirl outfit again...must be the same Christmas.

Marti (she's 3 I'm 6 months)

All of Us...What a Crew, huh?!?

So, obviously, all of these are pictures of my family. What can I say, I've been physically and emotionally closest to these 3 people my whole life.

(Oh, and I'm very excited that I found my CD that has all these great old pictures of ME!!)

30 Day Challenge - Day 7

2011-04-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Picture of Your Most Treasured Item

Curio Box Closed

Curio Box Open

Wine Cabinet

So, my most treasured item.... THAT is a very difficult one to narrow down. All the stuff that my mom and dad have made me over the years are definatly my most treasured things. I think I've shared many of them before out here, but these are some of the most recent things that my dad has made for me.

I LOVE you guys and am so in awe of all your talent and can only hope that I have an nth of that talent!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 6

2011-04-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of the person you would like to trade places with for one day.

Yes, this is a picture of The Queen. I would, of course, want to choose the day that I would be trading places with her. It would have to be one of those days where I wouldn't be required to do a presentation since I'm not big on public speaking, but if it were one of those days that she is stuck in an all day meeting listening to the white noise around her, I could go for it.

The main reasons I would want to trade places with her:

She would have to do my job for the day. This would be advantageous for me when I returned to my position because I know she would have whipped some people into shape.

I would get to come home to The King cooking dinner. So, yeah, it would have to be one of those days where he isn't working and cooks something yummy.

I would get to come home to the puppies and their unconditional love.

Hmmm, so as I think about it, I really don't want to switch days with her because of actual day, but more so because of how I would benefit. I would probably rather switch evenings with her.

If we are considering on a grander scale (outside of my immediate world), I would have to say that I would like to trade places for a day with....

30 Day Challenge - Day 5

2011-04-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of your favorite memory

This isn't necessarily a picture of my favorite memory because I really can't pin-point a specific memory that stands out as MY FAVORITE....

I'm using this picture for a couple of different reasons.

I think this is the first picture of when Kathleen, my niece, joined us for the Race for The Cure.
I've been doing Race for The Cure for years and years and years. I started walking in the Fort Worth Race for The Cure since probably 1998 and have made it to most of the years, except for the time I lived in California.
I'm walking again this year with the same women above. All a little older, but still fabulous.
I'm also starting to do my training and fund-raising for my Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure.... I'll be asking for money soon.

30 Day Challenge - Day 4

2011-04-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of your night Yep, this is usually my evening. Sitting on the couch in front of the television crying over some sappy television show. However, here lately, I've started getting off the couch and working out on my Wii Fit. Sadly, I feel very much like this guy because if you aren't familiar with the Wii Fit, it is a little cruel. Every time I step on the fit board, the dang thing makes this little "ooo" sound like it is pain because my lard-ass is standing on it. Trust me, it is not very motivational to have to face that when I'm getting prepared for my Wii Workout.... Ah well, perhaps as I make progress towards goals it will stop making that sound and start giving me some encouragement.... I'll let you know.

30 Day Challenge - Day 3

2011-04-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of the cast from your favorite show I recently found Doctor Who and its spin off Torchwood. I'm not familiar with the original Doctors (1 - 8) who started their run in the 1960s, although I would be interested in someday acquiring all of the stories...but that is for another time. Currently I'm a huge fan of Glee.... And I know there are others of you out there!! However, in the past the high school kids television show that I loved to watch was Buffy the Vampire Slayer (don't judge). You can't pass up a show about a tough chic that protects the world from evil and her butt-kickin' group of friends!! In the realm of cartoons, I can't get past my love for The Family Guy....I mean come on the baby is an evil genius/psychopath....you CANNOT not love a show like this!! And, for guilty pleasure, I admit that I will kill an afternoon watching repeat episodes of Sex and the City. I know it is horrible mind-numbing rot, but I'm a sucker for it....maybe it is partially because I want to be fabulous and have romance and heartbreak like that... There are lots of other shows that I love to watch like Criminal Minds, Modern Family, How I met Your Mother, Dharma and Greg, not to mention the Reality Shows that I get sucked into on a regular basis.....

30 Day Challenge - Day 2

2011-04-02T01:00:00.001-07:00

A picture of you with 15 facts.

I hate having pictures taken of me. I know that it is because I don't like who I am right now, as I've probably mentioned in the past. This picture was taken at Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. I do wish that I appreciated myself more, and I daily work on it.... stay tuned.

I was born a natural blonde. These days I'm more of a brunette. I'm currently letting my hair grow out so that I can donate it to Locks for Love. I am almost there. I started growing it about the time this picture was taken as you can tell by the little bitty piglet tail. As soon as my hair is long enough to donate, I'm getting it chopped off and colored and make it all easy to take care of again.... Maybe I'll go red again.

I do not go to church and don't follow any specific religion. However, I am interested in all forms. I have tarot cards that I like to read and try to have something to focus on. I read my horoscope daily and admittedly get a little blue when it doesn't seem to be upbeat. My mom thinks that I am searching for something, which is why I often times read books on religion and am interested in the history of religion. I think that if I were a Buddhist, then I think I'm probably close to my final incarnation....

I love to read. I think that is probably a given. I was an English major in college with a minor in History. I wanted to be an English professor, but I think that I chickened out of graduate school because I probably would have started to hate literature. I love to read to sink into the story, not to have to figure out the sub-text.

I've always been a hopeless romantic but the older I get the sappier I get. I've been watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and I get weepy when the brides find their dresses. I get sniffly when watching a show where there is a strong group of friends that support one another. Heck, I've always teared up when the Folgers Coffee commercials would come on at Christmas time. I may strike some people as being all hard on the outside because I'm not always a Chatty-Kathy but in reality I'm painfully shy and very much a marshmellow on the inside.

I bought my house a year ago and still haven't had my house warming party. I have all the furnishings and if I cleaned it up, it would have a nice look....but for some reason I just don't think it is really me. I really want to totally cut loose and paint the walls all wacky colors and have mis-matched furniture and have the whole place be all shabby-chic and comfy. I just need to convince myself that it is okay to do this; that I don't have to have the house out of the catalog....

Shades of blue have always been my favorite color, but lately I've been very drawn to purples and reds as well. That really needs to be my inspiration for finishing up the decorating of my house.

I've always had blue eyes, but lately I've noticed they are changing more to grey. It might just be what I'm wearing or my eye makeup at the moment, but I kinda like the grey. Grey eyes and red hair, wonder how that would look.

I've owned three cars in my life (Dodge, Nissan, Honda). My little Dodge Shadow was my first car out of college and I loved it....well, for a first car I loved it. It got me where I needed to go. I got me and my friends to New Orleans for New Year's Eve one year. It was beaten up something terrible one spring during a Texas Hailstorm. My Nissan Altima did a wonderful job for me getting me around. I bought that car because my sister had one, except hers was manual and I went with the automatic. I've never learned how to drive a standard car and have no intention of ever doing that. My current car is a Honda CRV, and I have to say that I love it. Oh, don't get me wrong, initially I felt sorta like a soccer mom in it, and still do periodically. But, it suits my needs and even though I've started looking for something new, I can't convince myself to give my baby up yet.... She's still a good little vehicle and why spend the money on something new.

I've lived in 10 towns (Independence, MO, Oak Grove, MO, Hernando, MS, Arlington, TX, College Station, TX, Euless, TX, Irving, TX, San Mateo, CA, San Francisco, CA, McKinney, TX).

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

I have been on a diet for the better part of 30 years. I have tried every diet in the book, I think. I can stick to them for a week or two, but then I fold. I keep making promises that "this will be the time/the year/the diet..." that will work and that I'll stick to.... hasn't happened yet, but I'll keep trying. Although I know that the best thing to do is to simply eat healthy and to get out and exercise. I know this already.

I knew all four of my grandparents as a child and even into becoming an adult (as well as two great-grandparents) and I know I was very lucky to have had this!!

I have the best family and friends in the world. What is there to say on this one.

I found it very hard to come up with 15 facts about myself and as I read back over some of these I'm kind of a Debby Downer....

30 Day Challenge - Day 1

2011-04-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

A picture of you when you were little.

I've used this picture before in a Flashback Friday, but couldn't resist using it again (and until I can find my CD that has all my old, scanned pictures on it....). This is a picture of me from Christmas 1972 when I was all of four years old. Even then, I knew that I was supposed to be out on the open range....

30 Day Challenge - Start

2011-03-31T02:19:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a Facebook post of my cousins and then I came across somebody else blog and identified closely with her reasons, I will be participating in a 30 Day Challenge in an effort to REFLECT on my life thus far, gain REVELATION of who I am today because of who I was yesterday, as well as get my writing juices flowing once more. My written word has been severely neglected & I intend to do something about that ... starting with this challenge!

Follow me for 30 days (beginning on April 1st) with a new daily post from snippets of my life. So, for the upcoming month (along with any other ideas that hit me) I'll be doing the following and I challenge you to document this as well!!

Day 01 - a picture of you when you were little Day 02 - a picture of you with 15 facts. Day 03 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show. Day 04 - a picture of your night. Day 05 - a picture of your favorite memory. Day 06 - a picture of the person you would like to trade places with for one day. Day 07 - a picture of your most treasured item. Day 08 - a picture of you and the person you have been close with the longest. Day 09 - a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most. Day 10 - a picture of the person you do the most messed up things with. Day 11 - a picture of something you hate. Day 12 - a picture of something you love. Day 13 - a picture of your favorite band or artist. Day 14 - a picture that makes you laugh. Day 15 - a picture of of someone you could never imagine your life without. Day 16 - a picture that can always make you smile. Day 17 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently. Day 18 - a picture of your biggest insecurity. Day 19 - a picture of something you want to do before you die. Day 20 - a picture of somewhere you would travel. Day 21 - a picture of something you wish you could forget. Day 22 - a picture of something you wish you could change. Day 23 - a picture of your favorite book. Day 24 - a picture of your day. Day 25 - a picture of somethign you wish you were better at. Day 26 - a picture of something that means a lot to you. Day 27 - a picture of yourself and a family member. Day 28 - a picture of something you're afraid of. Day 29 - a picture of someone who inspires you. Day 30 - a picture of someone you miss.

What's That Wednesday?

2011-03-30T03:31:00.000-07:00

Recently The Queen and I were driving home from work and saw a sign that said something to the effect of "spay or neuter your pets." The Queen commented "you get to choose?" Which led to a discussion on what the difference was and why there were two words (I know, I know the are for the different sexes of animal) when only one really would work, I would think. So, today's What's That Wednesday discusses the differences between the two words and hopefully will provide an understanding of why two are needed when only one, say "de-sexify" or "eunich-ize" would do.....for that matter can there be female eunuchs?

Question 1 - What is spaying? It is an ovario-hysterectomy or the surgical removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes) of the female animal.

Question 2 - What is neutering? It is an orchectomy or castration) or the surgical removal of the reproductive glands (testes) of the male animal. The outer is left, only the testes are removed.... Interesting how for the female it is the actual organs but with the male only the "glands" are removed.

So, with these two answers and since they refer to the specifics of the male and female animal anatomy, I guess they can't be interchangeable. Of course, that just means that I'm going to push for people to start using "de-sexify" when they talk about taking their pets in to get the "fixed" (because I don't really think removing pieces and parts from a pet should be considered "fixing" them...although I am all for "de-sexifying").

Question 3 - Can a female be a eunuch? Turns out that based on the official Wikipedia definition a eunuch is a castrated man, usually one castrated early enough to have major hormonal consequences. However, in 1970 a book entitled The Female Eunuch was published became a key text of the feminist movement. The book's main thesis is that the "traditional" suburban, consumerist, nuclear family represses women sexually, and that this devitalizes them, rendering them eunuchs.

So there you have it. Spay and neuter are gender specific and females technically cannot be eunuchs..... What do you want to know now?

Soooo Cute!!

2011-03-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm looking through some old pictures on some CDs and came across this one.... I think it is probably the first flight for our "little" Colin.

I sooo love these kids!!

More Family Trip Picks

2011-03-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Check out my Mom's blog Creative Crone from Studio Q and see more pictures from our trip!!

Besides, you all should check out her blog anyway....she posts a lot of her art stuff out there, which I find to be amazing!!

Knife Skills

2011-03-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to Central Market and took one of their cooking classes, which I really enjoyed. I guess this sorta plays into my resolution to cook more for myself, so yay me!!

The class that I took was a Cooking 101 Class Called "Knife Skills" and it was all about learning how to use the big knife in the drawer and to properly chop vegetables and fruit without cutting your own flesh. Mind you up until this point the only knife I ever REALLY used consistently was my pairing knife and even with that I have a big scar on my hand where I went through the flesh of an apple right into the flesh of my palm...but that is history.

The class was basically a beginner's course on how to use a chef's knife (the big one), how to hold it, how to curl your fingers on the other hand, how to slice, julienne, dice, etc. I know all of this seems pretty basic and yeah I knew a lot of it, I now know how to do it using the big knife. We started out chopping up celery and carrots, then moved on to bell peppers (and I learned how to get the seed pod out easily), onions, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, and finally oranges...all with the big knife. We then got to sit down and eat and have some wine (I can't understand why they wouldn't give us the wine before we started using the knives....)

We started with fresh guacamole, which is the only way that I'll eat guacamole. We learned how to cut up and pit an avocado and tomato and some other stuff. I already knew this as I have made fresh guacamole before, but what I did learn was to douse it liberally with lime juice and storing the avocado pit in the guacamole does nothing to prevent it from browning, the way to prevent it is to use lime juice and cover tightly with saran wrap.

Tortilla Soup where we as a class chopped up the vegetables (onions, peppers, etc.) and they Incorporated the already cooked chicken. I was told something about the process you should follow when cooking vegetables and spices and something about a "hot spot" but I was also really tearing up from the onions and don't remember 100% of what was said.

Dessert was orange slices (cut by me) where we cut off all the rind and then went into the slices and removed just the pulp of the slice leaving the husk part. They then came around with a scoop of caramel panacotta and sugared pecans...yummy!!

There was also a salad that we had prepared, but I didn't have any of it because it contained a lot of the vegetables that I wasn't a big fan of.....but it did look lovely.

I think I'm going to take more classes....if for nothing else having a good meal and wine.

2011 Resolution Update

2011-03-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

So, here is my Resolution Update for the first quarter of 2011.

To reach my goal weight (surprise, surprise). UPDATE – Yeah, really haven’t done much to get this one off the ground….but I’m doing another weight-loss kick-off meeting with myself this week. Hopefully I’ll have more to report in the next quarter.
To finish at least the same number of books in 2011 that I read in 2010 and provide my faithful audience with a review. UPDATE – So far, so good. I have completed and documented 5 books thus far, however, I’m technically WAY behind on getting this met. Right now I’m considering updating this resolution to reading 2/3 the number of books that I read in 2010….
To finish half the quilts that are currently in my UFO pile. UPDATE – Again, no real progress. I even totally spaced on International Quilting Day on March 19 and spent the day reading and watching television….
To open an ETSY store and try to actually sell something. UPDATE – Since I haven’t really done much for resolution number 3, which directly impacts this resolution…..well you get the picture.
To create and stick to a budget. UPDATE – I’ve actually done part of this. I have started a budget and am pretty much sticking to it.
To implement a REAL filing system and stay organized. UPDATE – Ummm, yeah…. Can my REAL filing system be considered a stack of papers?!?
To buy more shoes (oh no, twist my arm on this one). UPDATE – Dang It!! I don’t think I’ve actually done anything towards this resolution either… Although, I have looked at shoes on Zappos.com (that is the happy place I go to when I’m having a bad day…).
To cook at home more and actually invite people over, which means I have to keep my house clean. UPDATE – Sheesh…I haven’t done a single one of my resolutions. I have made the decision that I want to get a maid, only because I REALLY hate cleaning house and it ain’t gonna get done if I don’t have somebody else do it. Once I start having the maid come, I will definitely start having people over as I still need to have my Open House/House Warming Party!!
To complete all of the exercises in The Artists Way and Writing Down the Bones. UPDATE – See my response to everything else….yep, you guessed it, haven’t done diddly on these either, except get the books off my shelf and into my reading rotation.
To watch less television...I still need to come up with a reasonable number of hours a week. UPDATE – So based on this past weekend, I certainly did not follow this, however, I have decided that a reasonable number of hours a week to watch is 11 hours…. Golly-gee-whiz, if I actually stick to this, just think about all the stuff I could get done. By the way, I’m not counting the hour that I have the TV on in the morning while I’m getting dressed, since it is on the news and I don’t actually sit and watch it.
To get my PMP Certification. UPDATE – Ummm, yeah, maybe with number 10 stated, then I’ll actually do this…of course, I could bring my books to the office and read at the office when I have downtime…yeah, that is EXACTLY what I need to do!! Note to self: put book into bag for tomorrow.
To come back in 3 months and provide an update on these resolutions. UPDATE – DONE!!
To become more involved in my community...or a community....maybe a community of squirrels would like me to join..... UPDATE – I have done this, sorta. Since I’ve decided to do the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk here in Dallas in the fall, I’ve decided to join a team of walkers and I’m calling that my “community”. You’ll be hearing more about me doing the walk and begging for donations in the near future.
To get my passport and in turn do some traveling. UPDATE – Definitely need to get this taken care of because a friend of mine (who I’ve actually never met, but have spoken to and we have mutual friends) has invited me to go to Italy (Rome) next spring and I am all on board with doing that!!
To open my heart to love (and actually join Match.com and contact the guy that I've been stalking out there). UPDATE – Yeah, can’t do this until I get a decent picture of myself, which won’t happen until I’ve made good progress on resolution numero uno!!

So, based on this progress….well, I got a lot to get done over the next 9 months!!!

Its Not Easy Being Green

2011-03-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

I recently saw this on a co-worker's email signature:

Help us save the Earth, Go Green ***It's Easy Being Green - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle***

But according to Kermit the Frog, It's NOT Easy Being Green:

What's That Wednesday?

2011-03-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

This week's What's That Wednesday is: Javelina

I was mentioning to the Queen about some of the wildlife that could be found in the Davis Mountains, where I spent my vacation last week, and one such beast was the Javelina.

Javelina, also referred to as a peccary or skunk pig. Javelinas are medium-sized animals with a strong superficial resemblance to pigs. Like pigs, they have a snout ending in a cartilagenous disc, and eyes that are small relative to their head. Also like pigs, they use only the middle two digits for walking, although unlike pigs, the other toes may be altogether absent. Their stomach is non-ruminating, although it has three chambers, and is more complex than that of pigs.

Javelinas are omnivores, and will eat small animals, although their preferred food consists of roots, grass, seeds, and fruit. Pigs and javelinas can be differentiated by the shape of the canine tooth, or tusk. In European pigs the tusk is long and curves around on itself, whereas in javelinas, the tusk is short and straight. The jaws and tusk of javelinas are adapted for crushing hard seeds and slicing into plant roots, and they also use their tusks for defending against predators.

By rubbing the tusks together they can make a chattering noise that warns potential predators not to get too close. Javelinas are aggressive enough in temperament that they cannot be domesticated as they are likely to injure humans.

Check out Wikipedia for more information.

Big Bend Family Vacation - Recap Day 4

2011-03-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

The final day of our trip to West Texas was spent once again lazing around the pool in the morning and then heading off to visit Fort Davis Outpost in the afternoon. Fort Davis was a West Texas fort built and maintained at the edge of Indian Territory in the late 1800s. It is slowly being rebuilt and restored for the purpose of showing the world the history of the west.

Colin and I hiked up to the scenic overlook to look down on the fort....

After the tour of the fort, we went back to the ranch did some packing and relaxing. On our final night at the ranch, we cooked hotdogs and s'mores over the fire by the pool and played cards and had the most wonderful time just being with family and not being distracted by the outside world. (In this picture we have Mom and Graham sitting by fire-pit with Dad standing by it. In the shade by the lodge, we have Marti, Kathleen, and Colin left to right reading.)

The next morning we woke up early and loaded up the car and headed home. This was one of those wonderful relaxing vacations where I just got to spend time with the people that I loved. Oh, and I came to the realization that I'm definitely a desert/mountain girl. I could so see myself living out in that part of the world unfortunately, if I lived out there I would become such a hermit that I might forget how to actually speak to people.

Happy Birthday, Queen!!

2011-03-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

Yes this is from a couple of years ago, but you haven't changed a bit!!

I hope you are having a wonderful birthday and that your favorite month of the year is meeting all your desires!! Thank you so much for being my friend!!

Big Bend Family Vacation - Recap Day 3

2011-03-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

The third day of our trip started off really quiet with all of us sleeping in a bit (even though I did accidentally forget that I had a meeting reminder on my phone that kept going off and woke my mom and dad up earlier than expected). We didn't have much scheduled for our morning, but we did have a busy afternoon and evening.

We had plans for a horseback ride in the early afternoon and then were off to the McDonald Observatory for a Star Party in the evening/late night. Sadly, I have very few pictures for this day.

The horse ride was fun, dusty, but fun. My Dad, Graham, the kids, and myself were the only ones that went while my Mom and Sister stayed in town and wandered around. Unfortunately, the horse ride didn't start off very great when the trail boss yelled at Kathleen and I while we were still getting mounted.... I understood why he had to yell as the horses were starting to bunch up and there was concern that things could get dangerous but it wasn't very enjoyable for either of us. This horse ride was very different than the rides I had taken while in California.... but I think a lot of that could have been due to the fact that we weren't going to be stopping half-way through the ride and have a bite to eat with some wine.... ah well....

After the horse ride, we went into town and got some ice-cream then out to the ranch for getting cleaned up and then off to the Observatory.

The Observatory was definitely one of the hi-lights of my trip. We got a tour of the night sky and then we were allowed to look through telescopes and look deep into the depths of the universe. The most exciting thing was to be able to see Saturn and its rings. We also got an up close look at the moon and the Orion Nebula. The temperature did dip down as the evening wore on, but we had all dressed warmly and it was completely worth it. I loved every minute of this night. If you EVER have the chance to see the stars from one of the darkest places on the planet, I say TAKE IT!!

Big Bend Family Vacation - Recap Day 2

2011-03-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

On Day Two of the family trip to West Texas, we piled into the car and drove to Big Bend National Park and neighboring areas. The drive was a couple of hours from where we were staying.

Big Bend is an amazing place. It is dry and rugged and uninviting and yet also beautiful and amazing.

Of course, as with any place in the Wild, Wild West, you must be aware of the wildlife and know how to take the proper precautions....

We had a picnic lunch at the Visitor Centers at Castolon and then headed down to the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook Trail. Marti, Graham, the kids, and I did the hike, while Mom and Dad people watched in the shade.

The hike was up through the rocks along the river and then back down.... truly incredible.

After the park, we drove through Terlingua and Marfa and then back into Fort Davis where we stopped for pizza and then back out to the ranch and dropping into bed.