Leo - The Latest Casa ABBA Addition

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

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

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

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.