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maybe it shouldn't be so hard?

Jack and I have only spent the last week looking for a dog so maybe things will get easier. But I keep finding dogs that the humane societies dont think we should adopt because of Sadie, or they get adopted just after we look at them (kind of like house hunting in the bay area). There are lots of Pitt Mixes in The bay area but Jack and I dont want to get another pitt so soon after Ripley. Maybe when Megan is much older we'll get another one, but not now. So we'lre looking for something else.

I spent time looking at Petfinder this morning and ever dog in one shelter had a note saying the dog should goto a home with a child 12 or older. Its very discouraging. We know we're a great home for dogs but there aren't many choices for us... yet I know tons need to be rescued.d

A funny thing happened at the movies...

I met another mom for dinner and a movie tonight. We saw Life Aquatic which was a good if odd piece of cinema. I was entertained and would recommend it to any one who likes those weird quirky types of films.

The entertainment actually started about 2/3s of the way through the picture. I was sitting in the back row - in order to limit the conversation behind me. To my left a few seats away was a young couple, quiet through most of the film. Then they started getting friendly. Next thing I knew they were getting very friendly, lots of kissing and moaning and fabric being rubbed. Then the guy said load enough for me to hear... I need you ... lets get out of here and go ... she replied OK and they left the theater. Now I had to let my mom friend in on what happened... she had actually been watching the movie. We had a laugh with the young guys in the row ahead of us who had noticed the activities as well, and then proceeded to enjoy the rest of the film.

Animals

Here's the Link for the cnn story on the animals.

One would wonder why man is so removed from our natural instincts that we didn't know it was going to happen. Why have we evolved either ignore or loose our sense know danger is coming .

amazing animals

Just saw on the news that in Sri Lanka rescue workers have not seen any animal corpses. They seemed to have all known danger was coming and fled to higher ground.

way cool

Jack and I went to IKEA today to look at office furniture and to buy two simple shelving units to hold our dvd's in the front closet. Jack went off to Paddy's to get some work done, and I headed to garage to try and put one shelving unit together. Well one hour later, both units are done. Too heavy for me to install in the house, but done and waiting for Jack.

Let me just pat myself on the back!

rain rain rain

Our 5 day forecast....
Monday - Rain
Tuesday - Showers
Wednesday - Showers
Thursday -Rain
Friday- Showers

it's official winter in california has hit.

Dog hunting

So Jack and I have begun the quest to find that new special someone. To share our lives with and to spend money on. To cuddle with and to go for long walks with. You guessed it we're dog hunting. Yesterday we went to the Penisula Humane Soceity and saw a cute beagle. I found a lab on Petfinder that I liked but by the time I called the group he'd been adopted. The same group has 2 beagles rescued from a research facility. One of them has caught my eye so it looks like we maybe getting a beagle. We'll have to see how Sadie and the other dog gets along. We'll keep you updated.

Yeah Me!

I won my second ever tournament on FIBS

"TourneyBot shouts: *** Congratulations to piter, who wins socksey's zippy sunday blitz (Tourney #1147)! ***"

If anyone ever wants to join me for a game go to www.fibs.com, get a player for your machine (i use Java Fibs 2001 for Apple) email me and let me know your coming and then we'll play....

Happy Winter Festivities

We've had a wonderful morning. Megan saw her kitchen and instantly fell in love - spending the next hour preparing us pizza and shrimp and OJ and toast. Jack took lots of video and pictures so I'm sure we'll have them all up later. We opened up our gifts while our yearly cinnamon buns were baking and smelling delicious. After a few phone calls with family, Jack and Megan took Russell (who jumped the fence twice this morning) on a hike, while i started dinner. Pam, Yvonne, and Josephine are going to join us. So far I've made dough for rolls and I'm roasting some garlic and tomatoes for Tomato and Herb Tart which I plan to serve with Salad and fresh grilled veggies. I'm going to make a mini pizza for Megan and Josephine. I'm off to start the salad, and continue cleaning up our booty while Megan isn't here to protest.

White Christmas ... in Houston!

Apparently Casa De Newf and the Couch's are enjoying a white Christmas. We're chilly here but no moisture in the air so lots of static. I'm cold enough for a turtleneck under my sweater - in the house.

Christmas display

"FIVE PLANETS: On Christmas morning and every morning after that for more
than a week, you can step outside at dawn and find the five brightest
planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) sprawled across the
sky. It's a beautiful display easily seen without a telescope. "

back better

Busy day yesterday. We met Yvonne and Josephine at Coyote Point Museum in San Mateo. We had a lovely time. Megan really enjoyed watching the bumble bees and the otter, as well as looking at all the gingerbread houses that were on exhibit.

We had a walk around the point before heading to Foster City for lunch. Today we are going shopping and then heading over to see Stefan and give him his present before he heads to San Diego for xmas.

my back is feeling much better. All the heat has helped.

pain

last night and this morning I've been doubled in back pain. I used a heating pad and have been in the spa twice which helped and with the advil I took this morning I should be back to new shortly. It only dawned on me this morning that the pain is probably cause from pulling a 40lb dog over a six foot fence by his collar. OK next time - he stays in the neighbor's yard till they get home, or Jack does.

Damn Dog

Russell is back for the next 2 weeks. We are very happy to have him. He arrived at 10 this morning and then Megan and i went off to do some shopping. When we returned Russell was no longer in yard but next door in the neighbors yard, crying cause he didn't think he could make the jump back over. He destroyed some small bushes in there flower bed, before I got him to jump up with the tennis ball bribe and I pulled him by his collar back over to our side of the fence. Now he is cuddled up on my lap very grateful to be back.

Happy Birthday to me

I'm 34 years old today. I feel no different then yesterday when I was 33. Isn't that typical. I'm not sure where I thought I'd be at this point in my life, but I know I'm where I want to be now. That is living with Jack, my other half, and Megan my wonderful darling daughter.

Jack and I are going out tonight leaving Megan with the babysitter "neeta" When I told her this morning that the babysitter was coming over, she said "no Neeta No neeta NO NO NO!"

I'm sure we're in for tears tonight - after all she's my daughter and I used to cry till i threw up when ever a mom and dad hired a babysitter.

round round round round

We get around.... We've been busy lately. Friday night Jack and I met up with our friends Simone & Marti for dinner and drinks before they head back to Australia for a 3 week holiday. It was a wonderful dinner at Straits Palo Alto and great conversation. We are all the type of friends that no matter how much time elapses we are able to just pick up and have a great time.

Megan got to see her lovely babysitter again, but on sight she burst into tears. Not ready for mommy to leave. She got over it quickly though and had a great night.

Yesterday while Jack and Megan did a makeup class at the gym, I did some shopping and went to see a movie. Once home we all enjoyed an abbreviated viewing of Shrek then Megan took a nap while I tried making pizza dough in the kitchen aid. A great success! we had a quick dinner before heading over to Erika & Colin's Christmas party. Megan kept me pretty much tied to the baby's room playing with all her different toys, so I spent the evening chatting with other parents. I'm sure Jack's take was different as he got to socialize more with the adults. It was a wonderful party though and a great chance to don Santa hats and warm colorful sweaters. Next year we will even try the after party Caroling adventure.

That brings us to this morning where Jack and I are enjoying dueling laptops and coffee in bed while Megan sleeps in.

Movie update

I haven't blogged about the movie's i've seen and liked (or hated) in a while so I thought I'd bring you up on the last five.

1. National Treasure This was a fun film. Not to be taken seriously but enjoyed as you would any other adventure film.

2. Ocean's 12 No where near as good as the original. Lots of funny bits but overall a choppy boring mess. The best bit for me was Tess played by Julia Roberts trying to get away impersonating Julia Roberts.

3. Bridget Jones the Edge of Reason It got such bad reviews that I expected a really bad film, but went anyway since I loved the books and the first movie. I was pleasantly surprised and throughly entertained. If truly a Bridget fan you will enjoy this film. The cringe factor we know and love with Bridget was definitely there. Was bummed they didn't have her interview "Colin Firth" as she did in the second book, though when you cast him in the lead opposite her its hard to then have her go and interview him - they could have had fun with that one.

4. Finding Neverland Best film I've seen in a while by far. Should be up for several Oscars. Go See It!

5. Spanglish Kind of a long winded character study. I enjoyed it overall but would have liked to seen about 20 mins taken out. Fun but maybe more DVD bate.

Zoo day

Megan and I went to the zoo today with her friend William, his mom and his new baby sister. We had a lovely morning walking around the the animals. We were all a bit grossed out watching one elephant pull poop out of another ones butt and eat it though. According to zookeeper that was there, its a dominance thing among the females.

We had a lovely lunch at the zoo cafe, before walking around the rest of the zoo. I took Megan and William into pet the goats and sheep. Then we headed back out to the rides area, and enjoyed the merry go round and the train.

Megan is now napping.

Elmo can't go to the potty

Someone gave Megan a Potty Elmo for her birthday. Basically its a mechanical doll that gulps as it drinks and then asks to goto the "potty" It has some magnets in its butt and if its butt is on its potty than he successfully goes potty, and if his butt isn't on the potty then well "accidents happen". Megan delights in saying "No" when we tell her get elmo to the potty. That darn monster has had an accident all in almost every room in our house.

YUCKY!

Megan and I enjoyed a morning in the park with our playgroup. At one point she disappeared into the public bathroom with one of her playgroup friends Scottie. When I found them they were busy splashing each other in one of the stalls! They were both wet from head to toe. I escorted them both out and went to find Scottie's mom, all the while saying - yucky, ugh, gross.

melancholy

5 years ago today my mother died. Sometimes I still miss her so much I hold my breath, and tear up. This usually happens when I rocking Megan to sleep and I realize she'll never know my mother. Mom was a great Grandma to Sam and Kelly, my sister's daughters. But the rest of us didn't get our act together and start reproducing until after she died. She would have loved the baby boom. Since her death we've gone from 2 to 11.

Sometimes when I want to feel close to her I'll go in to my closet and smell her perfume. My sister Robin gave me a bottle of it a few years back. Shalimar was mom's scent. She wore it so much that it always lingered on her and in her bedroom. Other times I settle for a trip to the closest Hallmark Store. They all feel like her. She would have loved some of the ornaments this year.

I miss you mom. I grieve that Megan won't know her grandma. I miss your hugs, our talks, and your laugh. Today is just my day to feel Melancholy.

glad we drove home yesterday

The summit today... it was foggy but no snow yesterday, glad we went through when we did.

water day

the force is against me ... and that force is me.

First I flooded the garage because I'd put something in the drain sink for the washing machine and forgot about it. Once I found the mess I got it cleaned up pretty quickly, but then took a bucket that was full of water and poured it into the same sink, only it was full of lint from the dryer and paper-towels - an impromptu garbage can and so I ended up clogging the sink once more

take 2. .. .I filled the spa today with visions of a warm soak tonight... I set up the hose and set the timer for 20 mins. When I went out to check it was only half full, so I replaced the hose and went in and ... forgot to set the timer again . so now we have a bog in our yard...It ran for over an hour longer than I think it needed.

What is in store for me tonight with Water?

We're home

We hit Redding at 3:30 and I decided to just head home. The thought of dragging out our stuff for one more night was just too much. So we headed on home.

The drive was beautiful through the mountains. The fog at the top of the Siskeyou Summit was the thickest I'd ever seen. I tried taking pictures but we'll have to wait and see if any come out.

We stopped for dinner just north of the 505 turn off (north or Sacramento) and we ate for the first time in years at a denny's which was surprisingly ok. Not as grease laden as I remembered.

Megan and Sadie cried for the last 20 mins of the drive, both are now asleep. I was delighted to see the lights Jack had put up outside for the holidays. He and Megan played for a big until she crashed, then he unloaded most of the car. I'll unpack tomorrow - 10 hours behind the wheel listening to Elmo and Bear is enough for one day.

Congratulations Lori

One of the Blogs writers I read on a daily basis just had a baby!

Congratulations Lori and Al ... Welcome to the world Austin.

black eye and mischief

Megan fell today while we were walking Sadie. She was running to join us and tripped giving herself a bit of a black eye. She cried for about 3 minutes before turning back into 'Happy'. She'll have the shiner for a couple of days though.

She got into other mischief too - like flushing a bar of soap down the toilet, along with wads of Kleenex. She dumped out a bunch of pretzel crumbs on the bed, and managed to hide the tv remote. (i'm hoping it didn't join the soap).

We head out in the morning. I already loaded some of the car after Megan went down tonight. I doubt we'll make it all the way home tomorrow - as Mapquest puts that as an 8 hr drive, We'll probably stop in redding again, though that La Quinta doesn't have internet. I watched Gangs of New York tonight - or at least the first half... I didn't know it was a 2 dvd movie so I'll be finishing that one at a later date. Thought it was funny that they split the movie just as the 2 leads finally had sex.

Even more in love...

Our day in Eugene has been wonderful. First we took Sadie to a dog park which was really big. Sadie absolutely loved it. It was lush and green and right on a small river. Megan and I enjoyed meeting all the local dogs, and we ended up hanging out for about an hour. On our way out of the park we discovered a community garden. We headed out for a drive around, found the U of O campus, some wonderful home communities and were surprised by the number of community gardens in the different neighborhoods. We stopped at a Target for a potty break, then headed to lunch at a cute dinner by the U of O campus. We ended at Borders where we got a new book on tape for me and another Olivia book for Megan. On our way back to hotel for some quiet time. We'll head back out for dinner later. We did find a more industrial not so attractive side of town, but I'm still very impressed with this lovely city.

Day 1 Walla Walla to Eugene

We left Casa Bolduc at 9:15. After a quick stop at a drive through coffee joint, we headed out of town and were in Pendleton Oregon for gas and a park play for Megan and potty break for Sadie by 10. The Fog leaving Walla Walla was dense and it stayed with us all the way into Oregon and beyond. Once on I 84 we made great time, stopping once at The Dalles for lunch and potty breaks all around. We pulled through Portland and stopped just on the other side at a rest stop before making it into Eugene. We made it in at 4:30.

I'm wiped out between the cold that I'm coming down with and driving all day. Sadie is asleep and content with dinner. Megan and I are waiting for Pizza, before the usual, Walk, bath bed. I did get the room by the exit so I'll be able to sneak Sadie out for potty breaks while Megan slumbers.

Tomorrow we'll tool around Eugene, swim in the indoor pool and take it easy. A trip to borders for a new book on tape is also on the agenda.

Then Sunday morning we'll pull out and brave the mountain passes south. Depending on how it goes we'll either stop in Redding for the night or just go on home. If your curious Oregon has a webcam on the Siskiyou Summit which we'll be braving on Sunday.

cause packing up is hard to do...

actually we're mostly packed up and it was easy. Just a little bit left to do in the morning, and then we are heading south. My next blog should be from Eugene OR.

chills

This ad from the United Church of Christ gave me chills. Jesus taught tolerance and acceptance. If I were to ever go back to a church, one that was open minded would be more to my taste. I always thought that would be the Unitarian Church, but now I see there are other open and loving groups out there.

Prepared

Thom helped me figure out how to put on my tire chains and with a trip to the store for munchies, Megan and I are all set for our trip back friday. Baring a setback at the vet tomorrow we'll pull out of here around 9 am and try to drive through to Eugene.

Today we're going tree hunting with the Bolduc's and then tomorrow we're going to check out the Walla Walla Children's Museum. Then tomorrow after noon Sadie will have a blood check.