And They Call it Puppy Love.....

I'm sorry.....I just HAVE to post these so cute photos of Max's sister~ I'm glad I've got my boys, but oh gosh, she's such a little doll baby! That's it for today, LOL....just cuteness! Oh...this is Princess Little Pie

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

Ok...I'm not really ready for baseball yet, but I found these last week and I think they deserve at least a mention.
Let me just qualify this first, by telling you that I'm not a hot-dog person, so if they aren't as good as I think they are, just consider the source!
In fact, I pretty much refuse to eat hot-dogs unless I happenen to be at a ball game, which these days is pretty rare. Dh LOVES hot dogs though. So I buy them for him and he tells me always to get Ball Park Beef franks. So I do.
Except last week, when I was looking at all the different types, these caught my eye~ Ball Park Angus franks. They cost a little more (actually, they were just something like $3.25 at Walmart)but they're WONDERFUL! They have that sort of "crunch" when you bite into them and they have a really good flavor, not like a bunch of ground up parts of stuff. KWIM?

If you like hot-dogs, check these out. I've actually eaten TWO of them so far ;).

Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain....

Pitter patter.....we have RAIN!!! The patio is actually all wet! So, it's like, REAL rain, not just a sprinkle of it like usual; just enough to make a big mess of everything that was, up to that point, dusted with sand.

Yikes, where have I been and what have I been doing since Thanksgiving for heaven's sake?

A little busy, a little anxious, a teensy bit depressed (well, not clinically depressed but you know, when you just feel blah?).

Lots of stuff going on with our friend buying a restaurant and the launch for that.

The Bob Hope Golf Classic, big party at Tim's house on the fairway, Playboy golf girls and the Marines hanging out at his house. Oh gosh, the girls were so cute and so sweet (and SO YOUNG!!), and likewise the Marines....so handsome in their uniforms, but it breaks my heart to think of such kids fighting a war. They're just so young!
It was a great party though; Alice Cooper and Kurt Russell and a guy named Jeff Lind (one of the Travelling Wilburys...now, he's someone I could relate to, LOL).
Everyone was well-behaved, which is saying a lot. You know how some of the celebrity-pro tournaments can get, especially when it's one party after another along the golf course. But everyone maintained some semblance of sobriety (except for one little girl named Janelle....she just had a WEE bit too much to drink, and the Playboy people whisked her away before she got into any weird predicament.

Oh yeah...and a "girl" named Shelley Michelle...all dressed up in a little sailor outfit with LONG red gloves....involved with some show called the Hollywood Sizzle. Somehow I've missed that. Her claim to fame (other than the stunningly popular aforementioned tv show) is that she's a "body double", having worked with Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman....geeze, how LONG ago was that movie made??? All the PR photos are supposedly her body with Julia's head just stuck on. I guess that's b/c Julia has such a yucky body :S. Right......anyhow, quite the interesting group of people. It felt like being in a Fellini movie actually. Or like the King of Hearts movie. Sort of surreal.

So, then it was the Craig's List experience (a good one), sold one bike, took my other one in to be "tuned up"....hmmm...yes, it's VERY tuned up now....cost me almost $400...needed new shifters, new front derailleur...HOW does that happen when it's not even being ridden? Oh well...it will get ridden NOW....well, once the rain stops, haha. I'm excited about that anyway.

The YE's are doing just great, thanks! They just got a bath yesterday (after Mr. Max had to chase the stream of water that I was watering the gardenias with in the sand and got not only soaking wet, but covered in sand as well. Crazy dog! They both needed bathing anyway. Madison licks so much he smells pretty 'doggy' a few days after a bath, so it was time. They're loving the weather here lately. It's really been beautiful.

My brother Scott is having some problems in the hospital. Some bleeding, and after an endoscopy, they've found something pre-canerous that needs surgery in the next month. I wish he could just talk; at least we'd know how he felt about all this. 15 yrs is a long time to not be able to move or speak. I love my brother and he surely doesn't deserve this life. It reminds me that I need to make better use of my time and make better choices. Ugh, such a wonderful man and I hate to say it, but life just isn't fair, darn it. My poor Mom and stepdad too. They're really angels.

Almost had a GREAT job! It would have been PERFECT...but the Dr. gave it to someone with EXPERIENCE in the clinic, can you IMAGINE that, LOL? Oh well, he was very nice; said he interviewed 25 nurses and it had come down to this other guy and myself....darn! I really wanted (and needed) that job. Only 1 mile from home too! Oh well, I suppose everything happens for a reason and something better will come along. I just hope it comes along SOON! With so many people losing their jobs, I fear that dh's will disappear too. Anyway, my job search continues.....

My girlfriend Melanee is moving back to the desert....I think she literally had just finished unpacking the boxes in her condo when she decided she didn't like it there and wanted to be closer to her friends. So, she's all packed up again and will be here this coming Tuesday. I'm glad she'll be here, but I would never have encouraged her to move back b/c I know how much she really hates the weather here. I guess sometimes you just have to compromise. We figure we're all going to find our way together. Honestly....50 yr olds having to "find their way"......who woulda' thought we'd be in this position a few years ago? Crazy! The good thing is, all the doggies will be together again, LOL. Oh, her little Pie is so adorable! Max's little sissy and Madison's girlfriend!
And we're all starting a diet plan when she gets here. Only we'll have to hit Mario's just once before we do that, LOL.

Today I'm going to find a good book to read and curl up with the puppies~ tomorrow's another day and I want to be prepared for whatever might happen :). Need to find something interesting to do to pork chops for dinner too.....I'm off!

THANKSGIVING DAY~2008

A very happy Thanksgiving from The Princess~ may your friends and family be many and may your heart and table be equally filled with the blessings of this day.

The Christmas Questionnaire

Oh, I was so motivated this morning....got all my little household and animal chores done and was going to just step into the office for a few minutes....but my first email was this, sent to me by one of my most favorite people in the world, so of course I HAD to acquiesce~ (and I DO love these things anyway):


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I like to wrap gifts if I have enough time

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial; are you kidding, here in the desert a real tree???
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually as soon as my husband leaves after Thanksgiving; sort of depends on how motivated I am!
4. When do you take the tree down? Anytime between just before New Year's or the week following it. Depends on if I'm entertaining for New Year's Eve or not and if I am, it still depends on the mood I want as to whether it stays up or not.

5. Do you like eggnog? I've always loved eggnog, especially with brandy in it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Do you really want to hear about my damned bike again, LOL?

7. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad~ what do you get someone who's got everything?

8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom~ she's got everything, but she's always so thrilled with anything she gets.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but have been thinking about one for the last couple of years. Don't really have anywhere to put it at the moment though.

10. Best Christmas gift you ever received? Being with my family and friends last year at Christmas time; it really meant a lot to me.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I feel terrible for saying this b/c I know my parents TRIED to get me what I wanted, but one year I wanted some really cool knee high black boots~ they got me some black fake leather, fake fur-lined boots that came about to mid-shin and looked more like Santa Clause boots than anything. I HATED those boots! But you know how you have to pretend that they're just exactly what you wanted? UGH. I was so disappointed, LOL.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie or Movies? Hmmm...so many good ones; I love Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Carol; for funny ones I loved Home for the Holidays with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr. in it.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The few weeks before Christmas. I love being part of the Christmas bustle.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?? No, I can usually find a use for just about everything.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Oh, I love our traditions! If we're entertaining on Christmas Eve, I make 3 different kinds of enchiladas; if we arent', it's oyster stew. On Christmas Day, Prime Rib with all the trimmings.

16. Lights on the tree? All white; although I enjoy seeing the colored ones on other people's trees.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I'm a Gemini, so I get to pick two of everything, LOL....Carol of the Bells and Silver Bells.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We usually travel up to N. CA, but this year we're staying HOME. I know I'm going to regret it by the time it's too late probably

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? As anyone who knows me will tell you, I can recite the entire 'Twas the Night Before Christmas book, so yes, I know all their names.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? To be honest, I really don't remember what I put on the top of the tree; I think maybe a big bow b/c it's too high to really get to. I know it's not an angel though.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Not so much annoying as sad; I remember when we were REALLY well behaved during the holidays because we thought Santa was watching us; now it seems like kids are given carte blanche to be as bratty and squally as they can possibly be.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Health, happiness, love and prosperity for all my friends and family and just to be with my little doggies. Anything else would be icing on the cake.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I know, I know...We still have Thanksgiving to get thru, but I just LOVE this time of year! It's just the feeling of how sparkly and happy everything gets during the holiday season.

And when I look forward to the burgeoning season, all the memories of Christmases past come flooding back ~
that bike was the BEST present I ever got! I was BREATHLESS when I woke up to find it! I remember the feeling I had when that picture was taken like it was yesterday.
I was SO excited to get that bike (which was really too big for me, but that made absolutely NO difference to me, because I KNEW I could ride it). It was a second-hand bike, but to me it was new. And it was beautiful. And it was PERFECT. A REAL bike!
No more little kid's bike for me. I was so excited, I was afraid to smile too hard, lest that might break the spell and the bike would disappear into thin air. My breath truly was stuck in my chest.
I LOVED that bike. I rode it and rode it and rode it, and I loved every single second I spent on it, my hair pulled back in a pony tail so that it wouldn't blow in my face (because doncha know, I HAD to ride FAST!). It was a sad day when I finally had grown too big for it; it was like giving up my best friend. Fast forward 40 years and I'm still a bike fanatic....only the bike on the right is how I roll now, LOL. I LOVE my bikes!

I also wish I had a hundred dollars for every guy I got to ride and/or buy a bike ;). Ahhh...the good ol' days!

So, I'm thinking about the holidays. We're not going anywhere this year, just hanging out at home. We've gone up to the Napa Valley the last 2 or 3 years, but it's such a long drive especially with 2 dogs now~ dh is not very patient about pulling off and giving them time to "go".....he thinks they should poop on command...or at least according to his time schedule, which means "pronto, so we can get to where we're going. He's really not a very good travelling partner, unfortunately. So we'll stay home and avoid the aggravation. Which means, I get to decorate! I have been decorating every year, but I left it at doing a bunch of smaller trees, since it is so much work to put up the big tree and get it decorated, since I am soley responsible for it and I really hate getting up on that ladder! But this year, I'll probably do it...it's about a 3 day job, but it's so nice when it's all done.

I'll miss all our friends up in Napa since this is the time of year when we usually get together if just for a drink somewhere; but a lot of the times if we go up, it's hard to get to everyone to spend time with. At the holidays, we sort of try to devote our trip to running here or there to try to get together with as many as we can. It's sort of what makes Christmas, Christmas to me now. Gifts don't matter anymore, it's the sharing of good tidings and time with good friends and family that makes it special.

We gotta get back there, LOL.

Wishin' and Hopin'

"Wishin', and hopin', and thinkin', and prayin',
Plannin' and dreamin' each night of his charms,
That won't get you into his arms".

Ohhh....MY good ol' days...the days of England Swings and Carnaby Street. I miss Dusty Springfield. And I loved this song.

This is what dh told me the YE's did all day yesterday while I was working at the Art of Food and Wine event; he took this with his Blackberry. Aren't they the BEST EVER? Just staring at the front door, LOL. Too cute.

Today, however, Madison is wearing his "Little MONSTER" tank top....the barking beast! He's such a sweetie though; he's actually learning to SIT! It takes him awhile longer (like a LONG while longer) to "get" things than Max does, but he makes up for it by his happy-go-lucky personality.

Yesterday and the day before were really fun. It was a little too warm on Saturday, and it was a little too cold on Sunday, LOL. And the morning was really windy. It did finally warm up though, once the front passed over us, sprinkling a teensy bit; but it didn't seem to deter the wine drinkers.

I worked at the wine tasting seminar tent, setting up wine glasses for each seminar (usually 6 per person) and then pouring each wine. I tasted only the last wines b/c we had poured almost all glasses for each setting, but not that many people showed up for it, so we sure didn't want to just dump it without at least tasting it! Unfortunately, for me anyway, the last seminar was one on "Affordable Burgundy", so they were all French wines. And I guess I'm a dyed-in-the-wool California girl....I really didnt' care for any of the six. I guess I thought the second one (a chardonnay) was good....and also, I hadn't eaten all day, so I imagine they all would have been better with food. I'm just sayin'....I wish the New Zealand wine seminar had been last, LOL..I LOVE their wines! And would have loved to have tasted some of the ones I've never had a chance to.

Anyway, I was EXHAUSTED by the time we were done; I started off the day zip-tying tablecloths to the tablelegs so they wouldn't fly off with the wind or up-end the wine glasses. There were enough wine glass casualties as it was! Not to mention one woman whose backside was larger than she thought (or she'd had too much wine before she got to the seminar), and hit the glasses on the table behind her (which had already been filled) and knocked over about 12 glasses, half being red wine. UGH.

This morning I'm tired, I should go run a few errands, but not sure if I'll get to them. Everything can wait til tomorrow I'm sure.

I think we're finally over the really too warm weather for this year, and hopefully can settle into some nice reason-why-canadians-come-here-for 4 months type of weather!

Dh's birthday is coming right up too; I need to get something planned for this weekend since he'll be gone on THE day to work. Life in the fast lane here.....