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early morning

I did make it to the pool, and for the first time managed to keep track of my laps well sort of - I know I swam at least 50 - I may have lost a couple of laps here and there in the count though. I had a half of lane to my self which was really nice. The other woman in the lane swam very fast, but I held my own. I usually include 8 laps of running in the water. In Australia I swam regularly at a pool with the Australian Rules Football team the Hawthorne Hawks. The couch would have them do the 50 yard pool half a lap of running in the shallow end and half a lap of swimming in the deep end for like 30 laps. It really works out your muscles and someone like me who doesn't run can.

Anyway I was just finishing up lap 7 of my run when the lifeguard told me some one complained that I wasn't actually swimming. I assured her I was on my last lap and finished up the 8th. Its sad cause my calves weren't burning like they were last week and I probably could have ran a couple more. Anyway for the next 20 minutes as I swam I just was pissed. I was in no way interrupting anyone else's workout, and I know it wasn't the woman in my lane. If I had my guesses I'd say it was the only man in the medium speed lane who couldn't make eye contact with me after we both got out. If it was him, or who ever it was I hope they have a really bad day. "May the fleas of a thousand camels infect their armpits."

Off to get an oil change

Wide awake

I stayed up pretty late for me - till after 11. so I figured i'd have a hard time getting up in the morning - and here it is 4:20 am and I can't sleep - actually I feel like its 7 am and I'm raring to go - very strange - usually when insomnia hits i feel like shit and just want to sleep.

we'll see - if i'm still awake in an hour and a half i'll head over to the pool to swim. I can't imagine being alert at superman tonight if i don't get more sleep sometime though.

surprising

I often Tivo Pilots to see what new shows are out there. Most of the time I start the first 10 mins and then hit the delete button. I had that expectation with a new show on ABCFamily called "Kyle XY", only this time 10 mins in I was closing up my lap top so that I could pay attention. I watched the entire pilot amazed at how much I enjoyed it. I then went and got a season pass. The premise is a teenage boy wakes up in the forest and has no memory of who or what he is, he has no belly button. As he begins to explore he stumbles on civilization that really doesn't know what to do with him.

I noticed it was going to rerun on regular ABC sometime this weekend - give it a gander,

Since I took the time to answer this email...

I figured I'd blog and share too...

1. FIRST NAME? Lauren

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Really really cry - alittle over a week ago when I had to put my dog down.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yes - it reminds me of my mom

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey pastrami

6. KIDS? Megan Michele 3

7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? absolutely

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? http://www.muttmansion.com/vl

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? a little

10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? no thank goodness - best decision I've ever made

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? no way

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? not a huge cereal fan

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? never

14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? yes very much so

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? dolce de leche or anything with carmel in it

16. SHOE SIZE? 10

17. Red or Pink? pink

18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? i'm only just starting to really stand up for myself - I wish that had happened sooner

19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my mom

20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? no - really not necessary

21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?i'm in my PJ's black pants and no shoes

22. LAST THING YOU ATE? does coffee count? and a vitamin pill - otherwise we'd have to goto dinner last night - thai - yum

23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Miffy (Megan's watching it next to me) but on my ipod i'm currently going through any and all Sting

24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? I really don't know or care - not something i ever contemplate

25. FAVORITE SMELL? Megan pretty much anytime - but after a good night sleep she smells heavenly

26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Malai

27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? hands and smile

28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? yes my college buddy! ( who would answer no to this and then send it back - mean!)

29. FAVORITE DRINK? Ginger drop from Straights basically a ginger infused vodka matrini

30. FAVORITE SPORT? To watch - college football, to play swimming

31. EYE COLOR? Brown.

32. HAT SIZE ...big head big hat - haven't a clue what the number is

33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope but i need to goto the eye doctor

34. FAVORITE FOOD? I like most food. I'm tired of some things because we eat it alot with Megan - like sushi, and italian. I love thai, Ethiopian, Greek, afghan - can you tell I live in a really multi-cultural area

35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy endings

36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIES? The Lake House - before that An Inconvenient Truth

37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? bluish purple t-shirt

38. SUMMER OR WINTER? winter

39. HUGS OR KISSES? kisses

40. FAVORITE DESSERT? bread pudding

41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? not sure who i will send it to

42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? see the previous one

43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios by Yann Martel, The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, Cosmos by Caarl Sagan, Half Moon Investigations by Eion Colfer and I just ordered Darcy & Elizabeth: Nights and Days at Pemberley (Paperback) .
Megan and I just started My father's dragon - our second chapter book.

44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I have a lap top so no mouse pad

45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The Closer

47. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? god neither - I guess Rolling Stones

48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Not sure - Tokyo I guess

49. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? my salad are amazing if I do say so myself, I love to cook and am pretty good at it. I'm also a great mom - if I do say so myself.

50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Aurora MO, 1970.

51. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Jacqueline

lying

I've noticed a bit of lying lately. Politicians are the obvious culprits and while annoying very expected.

Megan too has been testing the waters with a couple of easy lies - like she told me she flushed the toilet, when she hadn't, or that she'd washed her hands when she hadn't, but these are learning moments and even cute though not tolerated.

But today I had a repair man who came today while I was out, after a week of not returning my phone calls - tell me he'd talked to someone here and arranged to come out today at 12 - I blew up at this jerk - Firstly I have caller ID and he never called here. Secondly he claimed my husband made the appointment - which I know is also a lie, then he said GE whom I have the service contract with arranged the time - not how they work. It really ticks me off that people think they can get away with blatantly lying to me. I told him if this is your work ethic, I didn't want him working on my oven and that I would call GE to complain and get a new servicer. - then I hung up on him.

too funny not to share

A friend just sent me this joke and well it was too good not to share...

"George W. Bush has a heart attack and dies. He goes to
hell where the devil is waiting for him.
"I don't know what to do here," says the devil. "You're on my list but I
have no room for you, but you definitely have to stay here, so I'll tell
you what I'm going to do. I've got 3 people here who weren't quite as bad
as you. I'll let one of them go, but you have to take their place. I'll
even let YOU decide who leaves."

George thought that sounded pretty good, so he agreed.
The devil opened the first room. In it was Ted Kennedy and a large pool of
water. He kept resurfacing over and over and over, gasping for air. Such
was his fate in hell.
"No!" George said. "I don't think so. I'm not a good swimmer and don't
think I could do that all day long."
The devil led him to the next room. In it was Tony Blair with a
sledgehammer and a room full of rocks. All he did was swing that hammer,
time after time after time, and more rocks appeared.
"No! I've got this problem with my shoulder. I would be in constant
agony if all I could do was break rocks all day!" commented George.
The devil opened a third door. In it, George saw Bill Clinton lying naked
on the floor with his arms staked over his head and his legs staked in
spread eagle pose. Bent over him was Monica Lewinsky, doing what she does

best.
George Bush looked at this in disbelief for a while and finally said,
"Yeah, I can handle this."
The devil smiled and said... "Monica, you're free to go!" "

The Lake House

Just got back from seeing the Lake House. It was really a lovely film. I enjoyed seeing Sandra and Keanu together again, and really just loved the simple touching story. Don't ask too many questions about how it all happens, instead just go along for the ride.

Uncle Davin

David came into town today for work. He had the whole afternoon and evening free though so I offered to pick him up at the airport so we could hang out and then I drove him to his hotel in San Francisco tonight.

Megan and I drove up to get him after her swim lesson and on the way she asked me all sorts of questions, like was he Uncle Doodlebug, and would "Uncle Davin" sleep at our house, and did Uncle Davin see Mel on his trip? (See Mel she still thinks of you often though you've been gone for what 8 months now!)

Megan was incredibly shy with him when we met up at SFO. When we got in the car she started singing but anytime he looked back at her she got bashful. When we got to the house she let him unbuckle her and then she ran in and was so excited to show him her room and all her toys. By dinner she was asking to sit next to him in the car and at the restaurant. He took a picture of her with his cell phone while she was eating broccoli to show his girls - Megan loves her veggies. She held his hand while we crossed streets to get a coffee, played in the car with him on the way back to the house.

But then we made a move to leave and Megan turned shy again - she didn't even want to blow kisses, though she did manage a "Bye".

Activity

I got my sorry butt out of bed this morning at 6:15 and went to the pool to swim laps. I've been averaging 3 trips to the pool a week, 2 during Megan's school and once on the weekend. That along with the elliptical trainer and a workout video i'm into and well i'm feeling better than I have in years. But now that Megan's school is out for the summer finding time to do laps is difficult.

I saw that I could go between 6 and 9 and Jack agreed to work from home until I got back at 8. It really worked out beautifully for about 45 minutes and then the pool was inundated with a bunch of slower swimmers and I started having to swim slow to keep from running over this older gentleman. Long story short- i cut my work out down 15 minutes but it still felt good.

The only trouble is i'm not a morning person. I'm a late night person. I'm usually up till midnight on my laptop so i'm not sure I can last all summer getting up that early to swim laps. For now i'll try to go one time during the week and then later on saturday, and If I can manage a third day all the better. But by the end of summer I will be looking forward to Megan's return to school (3 mornings a week!)

Last day of school

Sadie's death distracted me from an otherwise big day. Megan finished her first year of preschool, on thursday. The school put on a really sweet program and Megan got a certificate. After an after school party we headed to Chuck E Cheese with a school friend to celebrate. Thankfully it was open (wink wink).

She was still terrified of the person in the mouse suit, but had a ball running around the hamster (or is that mouse) trail, using the slide, and playing with all the games.

Friday we headed out to playgroup and when we returned home Oso had shredded and I do mean shredded both screens. So after Megan went down for a nap I dug out Ripley's old crate from the shed and hosed it out. But the years had not been kind - it was really gross and rusty, so on Saturday we bought a new one. He actually seems to really like the crate and it saves us from having anything else destroyed.

Friday evening i went out with my friend Kari to Draeger's Cooking School for Cooking school book club. The meal was wonderful and the class was really fun. The book we discussed was Tender to the Bone which I loved.

Saturday we also took Oso to the dog park, and he got a bath. We managed to spend a lovely afternoon at the pool.

Jack already blogged about Sunday which was really wonderful. I also managed to sneak off and get a pedicure. And some how I made one of the best salad's ever for dinner :)

so quiet

no clicking of paws, no demanding of breakfast at 5. It is so incredibly quiet today. Megan and I spent some time today looking at Sadie's page. She said she's sad too, I think she is kind of beginning to understand. Sadie isn't ever coming back home.

I'm so tired. After bawling for a couple of hours last night my sinuses were full and my head hurt. So when I tried to sleep I was just so restless. And not hearing her paws clicking on the floors as she made her rounds. Did I ever blog that? Sadie spent the nights making rounds. Even after she went blind she would go from the back yard to the front window, stopping along the way to check us out. She would push on Megan's door, I think a little annoyed she couldn't go in and check for her self. She was our protector as we slept.

Sadie is gone...

The hardest thing we pet owners have to do is let our four legged friends go. Sadie had been suffering of late. Her eye had swelled up and was inflamed. Basically the dying eye from going blind was starting to rot. She was in pain and disoriented. So a couple of weeks ago I took her in and the vet thought it was probably glaucoma, but the tests came back negative so she gave me some eye drops. Her eye got better - I mean in like a day Sadie was back to her old self. I took her back a week later and the vet was amazed at how well she'd responded. Well it started to get worse yesterday. I took her in today and she retested and confirmed she did actually have glaucoma. This was on top of the diabetes and the pancreatic enzyme trouble and the cataracts which meant blindness.

Sadie was going down hill. I knew when the diabetes was diagnosed that she was on borrowed time. It was very hard to justify spending thousands of dollars on a dog that was dying just slowly. It was so incredibly hard to decide to let her go, but she was in pain so doing nothing wasn't going to work.

Megan went with me to the vet, but as soon as it was clear that tough decisions were going to have to be made, I called Jack and had him come over and get Megan. They went off and I broke down.

It took incredibly long for them to come in and put her down. Its amazing that when your waiting for something like that, it really takes forever. And so you waste time. I scratched her and gave her treats, talked to her... all the while waiting for someone to come in and put her down. Geez that is so hard ... it was so hard.

I probably don't appreciate how much time and energy I spent taking care of Sadie. Tomorrow I had on my schedule to grill chicken for her for the next five days. Now I just need to figure out what to do with 3 bags of frozen chicken breasts.

And now she's gone. Oso is looking for her right now. Everyone else is asleep.

Good bye my Sadie Boo - Good Bye

What I came up with

I know your all dying to know what I came up with :)

I gave him a game for his PSP - lemmings as requested by Jack, a really nice dark wood picture frame with a picture of me in it, and

well I made Jack a cd of music
Heres' the playlist

Love You Madly 3:57 Cake
Power Of Two 5:22 Indigo Girls
Prove It All Night 3:57 Bruce Springsteen
I've Got You Under My Skin 2:38 Louis Prima
Turn Me On 2:34 Norah Jones
Baby I Love You 2:36 Aretha Franklin
The Way You Move (Radio Mix) 3:56 OutKast & Sleepy Brown
Do It Again 3:13 Marilyn Monroe
Lovesong 3:28 The Cure
Every Breath You Take 5:04 Sting
Love Like We Do 3:09 Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
Dance Me To The End Of Love 3:57 Madeleine Peyroux
Need Your Love So Bad 2:17 Soundtrack Wonder Boys
Truly Madly Deeply (Original Mix) 2:47 The Dualers
Love Songs 5:46 James Taylor
Viene Su (Say You Love Me, Too) 2:26 Dean Martin
On Golden Pond 3:35 London Symphony Orchestra

And Jack gave me something i've always wanted - a gift certificate for a tattoo - since i've been talking about getting one for like the last 14 years!

14 years later and it just keeps getting better

I'm a bit pessimistic about where this country is going, the health of our planet, and future for mankind in general. But when it comes to my personal life, i've never been happier.

Today is Jack and my 14th anniversary. We got married so young, and over the years mutual admiration really turned into something spectacular.

I had planned on taking Jack to see "World Sumo League 2006 Mega Tour" and had the tickets, sitter and surprise all set up. Jack and I got into Sumo a few years back when we went to Japan. Anyway - the even has been canceled. Now I'm also out an idea for Jack (the most difficult person to shop for) Jack sent me a couple of ideas but not at all the type of unusual gift I was going for. I mean Sumo that's pretty unique!

We're heading out to dinner tonight. Hopefully inspiration will hit and i'll have a great idea soon.

Sunday lovely sunday

I had my film club today - let me first tell you that I got an email from the clubs director informing me that San Jose was having a gay pride parade and parking would be scarce - so arrive early. I drove down at 11:30 - show time is 2. I got down by noon and well the parade was long over and everything was cleaned up. Downtown seemed almost diserted. Since i'd had a big breakfast with Jack and Megan this morning, I wasn't really in the mood for lunch. I decided to just walk around Down Town San Jose. First I found a drug store and managed to waste alittle time there. Then walking further I found the San Jose Museum of Art. Well still having over an hour and half to kill I decided to wonder on in. I really enjoyed myself. Though I can honestly say i'm not a hugh fan of "modern" art, I did enjoy seeing all the different pieces. And I took my time, figuring I could come back next film club if I didn't see it all, but as it turned out the museum is small and I did.

On To Film Club...

Today's movie was Civic Duty . This film has been at the Tribeca Film Festival, and at Cannes. It is a dark, intense film about paranoia in modern times. Staring Peter Krause and including an excellent supporting cast including Richard Schiff its a hot button film that will have you cringing and still walking away thinking. It's a film that will stick with you. Not sure when it will open as they haven't found a distributor for it yet.

After the film we were lucky enough to enjoy a question and answer session with Peter Krause. He did tell us they still had a bit of editing they wished to do, and he clarified or rather explained the purpose of one aspect of the ending which I found a little cliché before his explanation. It was a rare treat to get to talk with an actor I so dearly enjoy the work of. I suspect he will always be Nate Fisher for me.

I came home to a lovely home made dinner by Jack and a cuddly Megan who is fighting a cold.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a day.

Ridiculous

I realize this is one republican in just one state, but it represents so many bigger issues. What a waste of time and money for the state of South Carolina. I'm sure the people of South Carolina have bigger issues on their plate than whose selling sex toys.

Its the same thing on the national level. We have major issues facing us, like war in Iraq, and Global Warming, poverty and new Hurricane Season, and yet Republicans wasted time last week trying to out law marriage between two loving and consenting adults when they knew they didn't even have the votes for it.

Can you tell how fed up I am!

Art

To those that think "The Dixie Chicks" and all other performers should shut up and perform...

"Artist are supposed to comment on culture... thats the function of Art" From Margaret Cho's Revolution

Go See It

Jack and I went to see An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore's brilliant piece on global warming. Every parent, concerned citizen, consumer, voter and human, needs to see this film. It really does an excellent job of conveying its message.

I dare everyone to go see it for themselves. If its not showing near you then demand it.

swimming question

for all you swimmers out there - why is it that I naturally seem to kick while doing the backstroke but not freestyle? Of course I kick with breast Stroke and you sort of do with the motion of butterfly, but why on earth don't I kick without having to remember to with freestyle?

cute Megan

Megan Loves "Mary Poppins" but pronounces the poppins like she's a brit - so it comes out Mary Paupins.

Megan got up at 2:30 last night and went to the potty and back to bed all by her self - no help, no prompting and a dry pull up this morning :)

Megan is very taken with singing, today's favorite song is "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. I downloaded Julie Andrew's Disney Picks and burned Megan a copy. Which she plays in her room on her cd player her first real music at her control.

With the warm weather we have been able to swim almost daily. Megan figured out friday night how to swim between me and Jack back and forth it was amazing. First it was just a couple of feet but now its as far as she can go on one breath of air. If we're in the shallow end (3 feet) she can stand up to take a breath and then take off again so she can swim even further. 2 weeks to swim lessons and she's already there.

We've started the habit of taking Oso to the beach when ever he needs a bath, since he loves swimming so much. Once after, while Josephine was with us, we went and got ice cream after. Now as soon as we make moves to leave the beach Megan announces what flavor of ice cream she wants!

Megan's favorite book is "Dora and Boots in Fairy Tale land" and I've read it so many times I think I might actually scream - so tonight I begged Jack to read to Megan, but you know what hearing it is almost worst than actually having to read it again.

Tonight at dinner, while fishing peas out of her rice (i mixed the two together) Megan said these peas are "Pealicious"