My Christmas Babies

Today is the birthday of My Girls, Campbell & Barrett. Hard to believe that those tiny little girls we adopted in March are turning a year old today. They've brought such happiness into our home. Cami has grown up into a little imp. She wants all of mommys attention at all times. She's a bit of a pouter if she doesn't get her way. Cami is also the neurotic one. She's our little headcase. Barrett still resides on her own little happy planet. She is full of love and kisses and is our gentle giant. She's much more relaxed than Cami, but requires quite a bit of attention as well. Not that sweet puppy kisses are a bad thing!

John and I had a very quiet Christmas at home this year. We spent Christmas Eve with his family and, as usual, had a lovely time. My time was made most lovely by the Grey Goose martinis we whipped up at the end of the night. I don't know why we waited so long....anyway, it was lovely. John and I hunkered down all day on Christmas. We watched some football and got sucked into the Law & Order marathon. I did cook a nice meal, though. Nothing like filet mignon and lobster tails to make an evening memorable. Toss in some mashed potatoes and broccoli, and we were quite satisfied little campers.

Ted, Catherine and the boys are up from Alabama. They just arrived a short time ago and are heading to M&D's house. We'll see them tomorrow, along with the rest of the fam, for Christmas celebration at my parent's house. On Thursday, we'll be taking in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. I just love that show. The living manger at the end is like nothing you've ever seen. When the orchestra blares "Oh Come all Ye Faithful" and the manger begins to move, my soul is just rocked. It's so moving.

Got an iPod Nano from John this year. Pretty cool little device. I only loaded a few songs on it, but I can't wait to begin to use it in the car. My commute is horrible and I'm tired of all my pre-sets. iPod to the rescue! John also tossed in some serious bling this year. Two fabulous white gold necklaces with diamonds. Gorgeous. Major sparklies. I'm such the girl when it comes to jewelry. Thank gawd my parents raised me right. ; )

Miss you, Baby Boy...

Yesterday was a bit of a tough day. It was one year ago that John and I lost our beloved, Tighe. I put a wreath out on his grave and spent a few minutes with him. That, of course, resulted in major tears, which I am again experiencing right at this moment. Although our girls bring us much happiness, our Noble Tiberius can never be replaced. We miss him desperately.

OK, enough sadness for today.

Not much of a Christmas person, but this year I'm doing my best to get into the spirit. My nice big fat bonus check has definitely helped improve my rather Grinch-like mood. Hopefully the rest of our employees will be happy with their checks and the morale will improve. I'm not holding my breath, though.

I've been going to the gym twice a week for 3 weeks now and I am already starting to see some improvements. I feel stronger and I'm building my stamina. I like my trainer, Joe, a lot. He's not very talkative which is just fine by me. I get to really concentrate on myself for about 3 hours a week. No cell, no e mail, no interruptions. I try not to think about work during my sessions and I feel a change in my mind as well as in my body. Maybe this is kind of like yoga? Now I know why people meditate.

Still have lots of wrapping to do. I was up at 5:30 this morning to try to get a jump on the wrapping situation, but only got a couple of gifts completed. I did, however, get everything organized and I went over my list to be sure I had purchased a gift for all those who had been nice. Well, the naughty ones got a little something as well. I'm really hoping for an I Pod, so we'll see if that shows up under the tree for me. I got John Sirius Satellite radio, so he'll be able to listen to Howard Stern's new show. I'm hoping to really surprise him with that.

Not much else going on. Just the usual year end craziness. I'm not taking much time off between Christmas and New Years, but the office is usually quiet so I should be able to concentrate and wrap up the year. Quiet will be nice.

An Ice Storm-The Weather and My Knee

We're in the middle of a nasty ice storm. It started early evening and has continued and gotten much worse. I put The Girls out to do their last pee pee of the night, and poor Campbell got stuck on an ice patch. I couldn't get her to move to come back inside, and I couldn't get down the porch steps as they are covered in ice. I ended up having to get in the truck and drive up to the front, coax her off the ice, then shove her in the truck and drive back to the garage. It's always something with that one....Barrett, on the other hand, went out, peed, and came right back in and hopped into her crate. I always thought she was the dense one. Good motherly instincts on my part.

Joe kicked my ass tonight. This was my fifth session with him at the new gym in town. I'm already starting to feel the results, but haven't been able to see them yet. He's a really great motivator, without be all cheerleader-ish. If that was the case, I'd have to kill him. On Tuesday, we worked upper body, then Joe had me hop on the elliptical machine and go out a full sprint for two minutes. Two minutes didn't sound like a long time, but about 20 seconds into it, I realized I hadn't run in about 5 years. Well, I was huffing and puffing, but I completed my two minutes (and at a mighty nice clip, I might add). Tonight, though, I hopped on for just a minute to get my heart rate up and had a little pop in the surgically repaired left knee. My sprint came to a screeching halt and there was a mild panic about how badly I had hurt myself. Luckily, the sharp shooting pains passed, and I went about my work out. I did, however, whip the cryo packs out of the freezer and wrap my knee up when I got home. The swelling is looking better.

We set the tree up tonight. Having it standing up in the kitchen was just not doing it for me. John moved it into the living room, and we had a Clark Griswold moment when we cut the netting from the tree. Thankfully, the branches didn't blow out any windows, but I've got one fat tree in my living room. I plan on decorating tomorrow evening. Hopefully John will be finished with this ice storm and will participate in trimming the tree. I'm not holding my breath, but one can always hope!

I need to finish up some work then it's off to bed. Here's hoping the roads are clear in the morning!

Oh God the Pain....and It's December....

It was bad enough yesterday to awaken to the harsh reality of December 1st, but to finish off the day getting my butt kicked by my new personal trainer was a real treat. Oh joy...

Yep, not too happy to be dealing with the turn of the calendar. I simply cannot fathom that December is upon us. I'm experiencing one of those, "stop the world, I want to get off" moments. The days are just flying by. Not to mention the nights, which seemed to be filled with me frantically trying to cram in all the little things I enjoy. Like reading. Or blogging. : ) Not enough time...

I figured since I've already got time issues that I would continue to fill my schedule with really fun things. Like work out with a personal trainer at the new gym in town. Yes, fun. Not! Holy Hell! I can barely move today. For my first apppointment, which was complimentary (I can't even imagine paying to have this man hurt me), Joe and I did a total body work out. Check that. I did a total body work out. Joe spent a lot of time looking nervous and asking me if I was OK. I think he's regretting not asking me to note my next of kin on my enrollment form. I have to say, last night was not a pretty sight. At least I handled 10 minutes on the treadmill well. I could easily fail to mention that it was set on "geriatric," but, why tempt the excercise gods? They seem to be a bit pissy these days as it is. Luckily, typing doesn't include much more than my fingers, which are about the only things I can move without me wincing in pain. I hope to be feeling better tomorrow. Being able to walk down the stairs rather than scoot down on my ass will be a definite bonus. I'm going to need a fire extinguisher for my quads....

I need to pull the Christmas decorations out this weekend. John will be at the farm all weekend, so we'll probably stop by to pick out a tree. It's The Girls first Christmas, so I'm excited about that. It will be fun to spoil them. Some more. : ) At least this year I will have some company over to see the tree and the house while it's decorated. Usually, John and I are so busy running all over that we never have time to have people to our home. It always seems like a waste to decorate. However, my brother and his family are coming up from Alabama right after Christmas for a visit. I can't wait to see everyone. We're having Christmas dinner on the 28th, then going into the city to see The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City. It's such a wonderful show. I'm sure the kids will love it, as will the adults.

After, we're going to come back to my house for a very relaxed evening of pizza and drinks. Should be fun. So the thought of having family over is keeping me motivated to decorate. Now if I can just drag the boxes up from the basement....

WTH? Christmas Carols?

Ugh. If there is one thing I hate more than Christmas it's the frickin' Christmas carols the radio stations insist on playing even before Thanksgiving has arrived. I know that the trend has been for stations to sprinkle in a Christmas tune or two right after Turkey Day, but Lite FM has gone all Christmas Carols, All The Time. What the hell? I've barely digested my turkey. I've asked John for an i Pod for Christmas. Me thinks we're gonna have to push that gift up a bit. No way do I make it through the season if I hear Jose Flippin' Feliciano belt out Feliz Navidad one more time. Don't even get me started on Celine Dion's caterwauling. Someone needs to shoot her. Someone give me a little AC/DC. Hell's Bells oughta do it.

Before anyone gets their panties in a wad (I'm sure a few of you are already in a snit), I don't really hate Christmas. I can't stand the high-pressure shopping and the constant guilt trips about not spending enough time with family and friends. The idea of setting up the tree is overwhelming to me; more of a chore than a beautiful experience to be shared with family. It doesn't help that John runs a Christmas tree farm every Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving and doesn't want jack to do with decorating a tree. Don't get me wrong....John works incredibly hard and I certainly appreciate that. But there is no going out and getting a tree together and spending the afternoon decorating it while drinking hot apple cider. Instead, I meet John at the farm and inbetween customers he points out trees to me while tapping his foot and impatiently waving his saw around. Fun. Hopefully all the work that is done now will lead to better things later. Like me being able to tolerate a Christmas carol. : )

Not much going on. Thanksgiving was wonderful. My parents and Uncle Rich and Aunt Sharon came over. We had a nice relaxing time. Turkey was de-lish (fresh is the way to go and ya gotta cook that puppy breast side down for the last half of the roasting time....makes for an incredibly juicy bird) and the new sweet potato casserole dish I made was great. Gotta give a big shout out to my friend, Lynn, for turning me on to that recipe. It's going to make on encore appearance at Mom and Dad's for Christmas dinner.

We had The Girls' picture taken with Santa Claus a couple of weeks ago. I've got the pictures on a CD and need to make a couple of changes to the color or contrast or whatever the hell it's called. Bar is sitting in front of the tree and it's hard to make out her beautifull black coat from the dark tree. Cami was exceptionally good and didn't wig when she saw Santa. Always a plus.

I called the new gym in town today and made an appointment to meet with a personal trainer. I have no idea of the costs involved, but I do know that I really need some help in sticking to a program. Hopefully this will come together and I can get myself under control. Need to look good for St. Thomas in February!

Drunk Blogging

Nothing like a prick or two at work to drive you right out to a liquid lunch. There are times when I have to physically restrain myself from hurting two individuals in my work place. I've never quite met a woman like this one I work with; a manipulative, sneaky, scheming bitch who has no sense of right and wrong and who lies through her teeth constantly. And her little side-kick isn't much to write home about, either. He's a nasty old coot who has nothing better to do but listen to her lies and be sucked into all of them. I've had enough of both of them. I know that I should find some good in all people, but what do you do when you've looked and looked and can't find any? In fact, not only do I not see any good, I see evil. It's scary.

Fuck her. Fuck him . Fuck them both. I've looked for good. There isn't any. I'm not going to try anymore. The gloves are coming off.

I just wish I could use my lunch time buzz for something better than bitching. I could be in a happy place right now...very Bob Ross like...but I can't see happy clouds....I'm too blinded by aggravation. I just need to get through today and tomorrow then I've got a nice long weekend. Toss in my favorite holiday and it's a slam dunk. I love Thanksgiving.

Just a small crew this year....Mom, Dad, Uncle Rich, Aunt Sharon, Danny, John and myself. Gretch was supposed to come, but unfortunately had to fly to Iowa to be with her father who suffered a stroke. She's taking a leave from work and is staying with her family through Christmas. I certainly hope everything works out and I will keep her and her family in my prayers.

Just writing about Gretchen's situation has kind of opened my eyes to how grateful I should be, rather than be bitter about the two cretins I mentioned above. I've got my family, and thank God they are healthy. I've also been blessed with fabulous friends who add love and happiness to my life. I really have been spoiled. I'm very fortunate and need to remind myself of that every once in awhile. So even though I've got to deal with this situation at work, I can honestly say that the joys in my life far outweigh the negatives.

Happy clouds.....

My Whole Foods Experience

My friend Mike came for a visit on Saturday. Mike used to live in LA and was the Account Manager for my company at his fulfillment location. Mike (aka Puss) and I became fast friends while working together and have continued our relationship through the trials and tribulations of Puss leaving his company and moving back East. Puss has settled in a lovely home overlooking a fabulous babbling brook in upstate NY. Luckily, he is not far from me and we are able to visit.

It took a while, but Puss finally made it down to my neck of the woods on Saturday. We had planned on having lunch and doing a little window shopping for the day. I remembered Mike telling me that he loved Whole Foods and I mentioned to him that there was a market not far from me. I had never been, but since I trust Mike with all my heart, I knew he could never lead me astray when it came to lunch. We joyously decided to head to Whole Foods, have a bite in their cafe, pick up some goodies for dinner, then walk the quaint streets of downtown Madison.

For whatever reason, I was under the impression that Whole Foods was a kind of health nut food store. Much to my surprise, it was nothing of the sort. There is all kinds of fabulous foods, from fresh fish, cheeses and meats to prepared foods available for dine in or take out. I'm talking sesame tofu, braised beef brisket, macaroni & cheese, sushi, pasta salads, fresh baked goods and decadent desserts. I was in complete astonishment. The real kicker is that they sell wine in their store, which is not something we do in Jersey. So not only can you get your regular grocery shopping done, you can also swing by the wine department for a little wine and cheese tasting (definitely right up my alley). Nothing like knocking back a few while you cruise the aisles.

Puss and I had such a fabulous time shopping, and we were so tuckered out from our little adventure in Whole Foods that we decided to munch on some hors d'oeuvres and drink a fabulous new wine he picked up and then order dinner in so no one had to cook. It was such a great day-I just wish my little Puss could have stayed longer. Next time.

So my first experience at Whole Foods was simply spectacular and I will be going again. If there is a Whole Foods nearby, I highly suggest you stop in.

What The Hell?

To my blog? Why am I not seeing my latest entry? Ugh.

It's Been A Week...

...and I've got nothing to talk about. Things are pretty boring all the way around.

Our town has a new little shopping center going up. The sign listing the stores/shops went up on Saturday. I saw a sign for a Personal Trainer/Pilates place. I'm going to do some investigating...no phone number listed yet, and it doesn't look like they've occupied their space, so I'm going to keep my eyes peeled. I really need a place that is convenient to get to so I'll be motivated to go. "course it doesn't hurt that it's goingi n right next to the new bagel place. Now there's motivation.

It's 7:13 on Halloween night and no little beggars have come a knockin'. Bastards. Looks like I bought a ton of candy for nothing. Guess I'll bring it in to the vultures in my office. They'll eat anything.

Might choose to curl up and order an IO movie tonight. I don't seem to have any motivation to do anything. Not sure why...oh! That's right. It's frickin' eastern standard time again. It was dark at 5:05 pm. Setting the clocks back rips out my soul. I HATE standard time. Hate it. hate it, hate it. No wonder I have so desire to do anything.

I'm going to hibernate now. Bye.

The Cows Came Home....Literally

So my goal this weekend was to get some rest and watch two football games: the Tennessee/Bama game and the Broncos/Giants game. I did both. I came home Friday and went straight up to The Cave. The Cave is my husband's nickname for our bedroom. It's very dreamy, done in different shades of taupe. I had black out blinds installed so not a hint of sunlight can come in. When I'm all locked up in the room with the shades drawn, it's very cave like. I'm quite happy in The Cave.

So I locked myself in The Cave Friday night and read some magazines and just kind of hung out. I turned out the lights at 10 pm and drifted off for a solid night's sleep. Saturday began with my appointment at a local tire shop to have 4 new tires installed on the Trailblazer. I then did some errands and got home in time to snuggle up on the couch and watch Bama take on Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was a great game, with Alabama scoring a field goal in the final minutes to win. A celebration of this exciting game was definitely in order, so John and I decided we would go out to Benito's Trattoria in Chester for some din-din.

What happened next is the kind of thing that can only happen to John and me. We drove down our street and made the right onto Combs Ave. and proceeded towards Miller's Farm. Next thing I know, we're surrounded by cows. I'm like, "What the hell?" John and I are sitting in the truck watching these cows meander around the road, munching on autumn decorations and eyeing us somewhat disinterestedly. Obviously, they had broken out of their corral and were helping themselves to a little evening snack. Well, you can't just leave a bunch of cows in the road. It's pitch black and someone could get hurt. John and I tried to notify the owners of the cow escape, but to no avail. No one was home. At this point, the cows started running around, and John deftly maneuvered the car in an effort to contain them in one area and stop them from going up to the busy road at the top of the hill. It was like The Raucous Rodeo Comes To Randolph. Here we are in the car, zipping around trying to corral these cows. They started to get a little huffy and came charging towards us a couple of times. That was it. I called the police and we went on our merry way. Seriously, this could only happen to us.

Sunday was a great day. Cow-less, thank goodness. We took The Girls for a ride, ran some errands, got some pumpkins (so much for pumpkin-picking, I bought some pumpkins at my local grocery store) and then settled in to watch the Giants game. Giants came away with a victory over the Broncos with seconds left. Another exciting football game for me! John and I enjoyed a nice dinner together and then I retired to The Cave to watch Desperate Housewives.

Just another exciting weekend in my exciting life. Not. : )

The Battle Rages On...

cowlick /kowlik/ n. projecting lock of hair

The Scene: Upstairs bathroom, in front of mirror.

Me: A little cooperation would be nice.
Cowlick: A little TLC would be nice
Me: Who are you to talk?
Cowlick: The bangs have elected me head of the union.
Me: You can't be serious?
Cowlick: I am. They've got some demands.
Me: This should be interesting
Cowlick: Lighten up with the blowdryer.
Me: That's the only way I get any cooperation!
Cowlick: How do you explain this morning?
Me: I was working with them the best I could. They decided to part right in the middle.
Cowlick: Yeah, they're a divided group. Not happy campers. The new brush? No good.
Me: So I could see. You didn't help the situation.
Cowlick: What? I was my charming self.
Me: Sticking out the right side of my head is not charming.
Cowlick: I was merely trying to protect myself. Easy on the Aqua Net, toots.
Me: You're pushing me. You and your little band of brothers. Don't make me get the scissors.
Cowlick: An idle threat. Do I need to remind you of what happened the last time you whipped out the shears?
Me: I've added to my hat collection since then. I can easily work a new one into my wardrobe on a daily basis.
Cowlick: Nothing you did could camouflage that mess.
Me: You're pushing me.
Cowlick: We'll see who wins.
Me: Eff you.
Cowlick: Blow me.
Me: Cute.
Cowlick: Heh.

My Lid is an Issue...

I'm having a serious hair conundrum. I'm just not sure what to do with it, so I haven't had it cut and I've been coloring it myself (C and Brew, keep your comments to yourselves). The color is OK, but I'm thinking it needs a little kick. My best girl, Ann, has a beautiful head of hair. She's got those fabulous natural waves and the color is a deep chestnut with just the right touch of red. I want it. I want it bad.

*sigh*

Alas, I'm stuck with what I've got. It's gotten long, which I like, but it's also very thick and rather unruly. I had a long talk with my bangs this morning and finally ended up beating them into submission. I simply don't have time for their grief in the morning. They teamed up with my cowlick to really piss me off. I ended up with a rather wide part (thanks to the cowlick on the right side of my forehead) but am hoping I pulled off a decent 'do by combing my beaten bangs in the other direction. We'll just see what kind of attitude they pull with me tomorrow morning.

Need to get my tickets to St. Thomas. To remind myself (and fortify my soul for the upcoming winter) I'm posting a picture from our St. Thomas trip. A good way to end the night.

Peaceful Sleeping

John returned yesterday from his Myrtle Beach golf trip, thus, a decent night's sleep last night. I'm such a little scaredy cat. I hate being in the house by myself, especially after dark. Even though I've got the dogs with me, I get the distinct impression that they'd be useless in the case of an emergency. Case in point, Barrett's penchant for barking and running in reverse from what she's barking at. Real ferocious there, Bar. If Campell could speak, she'd scream, "Eat her!" as she ran away and left me in the dust. No doubt they'd sacrifice me to save themselves. But now my honey is home and I can rest easy knowing I've got a big strong man to protect me.

Walked out of the office yesterday to the site of a near flat tire. Bummer. I had no choice but to drive it to the nearest gas station and get some air. The tire is pretty bald, so John made an appointment for me to get all new tires Saturday morning. I'll be there at 8:30 am and they'll do it while I wait-only takes an hour. How great is that? I can drink my morning Dew, read the paper, and have new tires installed. I'm a happy camper.

Thanksgiving will be at our house again this year. Yea! It's my favorite holiday. It always reminds me of my Gram, who hosted Thanksgiving for years and years. My cousin, Jenn, and her new husband, Bill, will not be able to make it, unfortunately. But Uncle Rich and Aunt Sharon are coming, along with my cousin, Danny, and his 2 boys, Mom and Dad, and Gretchen will be joining us again this year. I'm already working on my menu-pretty standard stuff, but I might mix it up a little this year. I'll have to see...

Not much else going on. St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center has it's annual Howl-O-Ween walk this weekend. We're thinking about taking the girls, sans costumes. The socialization would be good for them, but I think the costume part might send them over the edge. If we go, I'll post some pictures. It's always a great time and it's rewarding to raise money for the shelter.

What The Hell? To Me....

Ugh. My internet connection has been totally facocked the last couple of days. I wanted to ad a post here, but couldn't access anything. Of course, now I've forgotten evrything I wanted to add....a big WTH? to me.

Monday, Monday....

Back at work after a really fun weekend. Went to dinner at Mom and Dad's Friday night which was a lot of fun. Dad makes a mean cosmo and Barb (mom) and I imbibed on a few. : ) John wasn't feeling all together well, so we made it an early evening. I stayed up late as my night owl-ness kicked in and enjoyed the quiet of the wee morning hours while nesting away. Got a few things accomplished, and created a To-Do list for the next couple of weekends.

Mother Nature bestowed her wrath upon us on Saturday with relentless rain. Had to cancel pumpkin picking, but we did keep our dinner plans intact. The rain really came down. We desperately needed it in our area, but it's tough with two puppies at home. B&C had had enough of the rain and simply would not go outside anymore. I decided to take them to day-care and that really paid off as they were able to run and play with their friends. I was afraid of them running around outside and blowing out a knee on the wet leaves. Luckily, day-care was open and that gave me time to work around the house.

With the girls busy, I dove into full nesting mode. I emptied out the family room closets (what used to be our old bedroom) and set aside items to give away, stuff to trash, and clothes for Goodwill. I love the sight of a clean and organized closet. I decorated the house with Halloween/Thanksgiving stuff and in the process of pulling stuffed pumpkins out of the closet, I found a bunch of picture frames I had forgotten about. They're cute little silver antique-y looking frames and I immediately thought of all the old black and white family photos I have from when Gram passed. I think they'll look really great displayed in these frames and added that to my future To-Do list.

I also transfered some digital pictures onto my 2005 CD. I learned that when I name a photo, I should put the date first, then whoever is in the picture (or the folder of pics). That way, when I transfer them to a CD, they remain in date order. So my 2004 and 2005 CD's will be a little out of whack, but starting now I'm going to begin dating the pictures first. I also organized my film pictures by date, and will begin putting them into albums next weekend. I've got quite a bit to catch up on and need to be more diligent with my photo maintenance.

After a full day of nesting, John and I met Gretch at the pub for drinks and dinner. We always sit in a bar booth so we can watch whatever sporting event is on TV. Iowa/Purdue was on, so our Iowa girl, Gretch, was able to watch the home team play. The Pub is featuring an Oktoberfest menu, and I dined on the Knock & Bratwurst platter. Quite yummy with sauerkraut, potato pancakes and homemade applesauce. I do have to say, Mom's potato pancakes are much, much better. I was pretty wiped out when we got home, and ended up crashing around 10:30. I didn't stir until John woke me around 7:30 Sunday morning. I got some much needed beauty sleep.

John and I spent the day watching football and baseball. The Astros took the NLDS in an 18 inning instant classic over the Braves. Between that and watching 41 year old Vinny Testaverde lead the Jets to a win over Tampa Bay, we had a pretty exciting day. The Yankees extended the ALDS by beating Anaheim and forcing a deciding Game 5 in California. We'll see if the Yankees still have a little more magic to pull out a win tonight and advance to the ALCS.

Back to work time for me.

Anyone for Martinis and Pumpkin Picking?

So looking forward to the weekend. John, Gretch, and I are going pumpkin picking and then to the Blackhorse for drinks and dinner. I was joking with Gretch that I had a mental image of her stumbling through the pumpkin patch, cigarette in one hand and beer in the other. She's decided the occassion calls for a little something stiffer, so I'll need to make a mental note to pack my flask. And some olives.

Dinner is with M&D tomorrow night. That's something nice to look forward to. Combine that with the pumpkin festivities and it's a homerun of a weekend. Thankfully, I've got Sunday to recover. I think that will be my day to put out my Halloween and Thanksgiving decor. As much as I hate this time of year (post-season baseball being the exception)I do enjoy Halloween. I have some really cute pumpkin, ghost and black cat decorations and a few other things that lend a festive air to the house. I do a combo Halloween/Thanksgiving decor. My house is a cape, so all the rooms are fairly stand alone. Not much flow goin' on in my crib. Many little nooks and crannies. Those nooks and crannies are pointedly driven home every morning when I get out of bed and smash my head on the slanted ceiling. What moron came up with this layout? No doubt it was a midget. I'd like to give a big WTH? to the architect, however, it should probably go to me for not exactly acting in a Pavlonian manner and ducking when I roll out of bed. Exactly how long is it going to take me to learn to duck? It's been 8 damn years! I digress...

Didn't get out for my walk this morning. How about a big WTF? to the idiots who schedule the baseball? Honestly, I think it's a smidge easier for those on the West Coast to follow a game that starts at 5 pm PT than it is for us East Coasters to follow a game that starts at 10 pm ET. We've already got a bunch of bleary-eyed idiots walking around the office and now I'm one of them. Can't get out of the sack early enough to get out for my walk. Going to have to turn in early tonight and get my fat ass out in the morning.

Time to shut it down and go get the girls from day-care. Cami should be tired enough to not eat anymore of the carpet. The little hellion.

What A Trip!

We're back from Stratham
after an absolutely fabulous visit with our friends, the Rowe's. We met Kevin and Sandy at the bar at Sapphire Beach in February and were then introduced to Kevin's parents, Joyce and Chris. We've kept in touch and were able to visit with them in New Hampshire this past weekend. That's John on the left posing with Chris, Sandy and Kevin.


What a great time! Joyce and Chris welcomed us into their lovely home and made us feel most welcome. They have a knack for putting people at ease and making a visit very pleasurable. After a tour of their beautiful home (which was Joyce's parents home) and their abundant garden, we were treated to a trip to the Lindt candy factory in town. Can't go wrong with Lindt chocolate! Interestingly, the Lindt site in NH serves all of the Eastern part of the country.

After sampling some chocolates, we returned home to begin happy hour. Of course, it's always happy hour with the Rowe's-that's why we like them so much and get along so well! Kevin and Sandy joined us for dinner after returning home from work and we all enjoyed Joyce's royal feast. We were treated to steak with mushroom sauce, green beans, red potatoes, corn on the cob and tomatoes. Everything except the beef came from Chris & Joyce's garden! It was fantastic. Joyce didn't think we'd had enough to eat so she set out her pumpkin pie and apple pie. John and I needed to be rolled away from the table.

After a trip to Kevin and Sandy's house to see their new kitchen, we met their son , Shane. What a nice young man and, lucky for us, he'll be coming to St. Thomas next year. We're really looking forward to introducing him to the island!

We watched the Bosox beat up on the Yanks then headed to bed for a great night's sleep in Joyce's fabulous guest room. We threw open the windows and slept in the clean country air. I haven't slept that soundly in years.

The next morning, Joyce served up a breakfast casserole that was out of this world. Bread pieces, eggs, cheese and sausage-a real stick to your ribs meal. That gave us the sustenance needed to tackle a day of shopping and bar hopping in Portsmouth, a quaint little town north of Stratham. We took a scenic route up the coast and stopped at a few of New Hamphire's beautiful beaches on our way to town. Portsmouth is the kind of place I love...people sitting outside little cafes with their dogs, specialty boutiques and little restaurants all along brick topped sidewalks. Very picturesque. I was able to find two wonderful paintings: one is of waterfront Portsmouth and the other of the little pub, The Rusty Hammer, where we stopped to snack before heading to the Brewery to watch the game.

We really tied one on at the SmuttyNose Brewery and watched as the Yanks took the lead over the Bosox. A win and the Yanks would clinch the AL East. After a few too many drinks, Chris and Joyce got us all home safely to see the end of the game and sit down to yet another fantastic meal. This time we were treated to lobster and Joyce's homemade coleslaw. We had a lot of fun getting the meal together, especially with cooking the lobsters. Live flames are not a good thing when you've been drinking. Luckily we were able to put out the fire on the lawn (Chris being a fireman and all) and save ourselves from ourselves. John and I toasted and Yankee win and well, toasted just about everything else.

Sandy didn't have enough partying for the day, so she called her friend, Paul, to drive us into Portsmouth to The Gas Light. Great little place with an outdoor courtyard, lit by torches (we were having a fire theme day). We enjoyed a band, enjoyed more drinks and then staggered into this little place called Gilleys for some midnight munchies. Gilley's is a little trailer type of thing that is about 6 feet wide and 15 feet long (and that includes the kitchen...if you can call it a kitchen). Gilley's is definitely the place to soak up the alcohol and get righted before going home. We chowed on some dogs, burgers, and fries then found our way home to fall into bed.

Sunday morning was a little rough. Surprisingly, Kevin and Sandy made it over for Joyce's French toast breakfast and then John and I had to pack the truck and say our goodbyes. We're so very fortunate to have the Rowe's in our lives. They are all such wonderful people-John and I just adore them.

Buggin' Out For The Weekend

This will be my last post until next week as John and I are leaving for New Hampshire tomorrow morning. Can't wait to see our friends! Should be fun and interesting especially as the AL East is coming down to the wire. They're big Sox fans and John is a big Yankee fan. I, of course, will be rooting for the Yanks because I simply cannot root for the Sox. It's sacrilegious.

Dropped Cami and Bar Bar off at day-care this morning. Couldn't get them into the play room fast enough. They were wound a little too tightly for my liking. Campbell simply can't sit still when she's hyped up. It's like he little paws have to keep moving. Barrett is a little better, as once you get her attention by a bop on the nose she'll just sit down and keep still. I can just picture them running circles around the day-care providers right now. Heh. Better them than me.

A big What The Hell? to the nimrods at the bagel shop. Located right off Route 10, the bagel place is very busy with morning commuters. The name of the game is "get in and get out." Most of the guys there are really good about keeping the line moving and working quickly to get your bagel, get your money, and get you on your way. However, this morning, I placed my order and watched it sit on the counter as the bagel boy and his buddy proceeded to have a personal conversation. The minutes ticked away and I grew rather irritated. Knock, knock! Um, hello? I'm the customer!! Needless to say, when Brainless Bagel Boy finally got on board and handed me my bagel, I snatched it away from him in disgust. Number 1, don't leave your customers waiting. Number 2, don't ever withhold my morning bagel from me. I mean, What The Hell?

Got my new sneaks from zappos last night. Believe it or not, I did not tear into the box and try them on. I was a little out of sorts last night and just needed some peace and quiet. I watched LOST, which was a huge disappointment as they simply retold last weeks episode and then turned in. I hope I'm not coming down with anything, as I'm still not feeling quite right this morning. Maybe another Dew will perk me up. Maybe another little shopping spree at Zappos will perk me up. Maybe I'll shop and sip my Dew at the same time. Yeah, that's the ticket!

Tuesday Blues

Tuesday has has never been the best day for me. Most people complain about Mondays, but I happen to like Mondays. The are usually the fastest day of the week for me, but then Tuesday hits and the world seems to stop. They just drag on and on. So today I'm suffering from Tuesdayitis. Of course, I did not help myself by staying up so late last night. Since we're leaving for New Hampshire Friday morning, I needed to get my laundry done and clean up the house. Gretch is being a peach by sitting the Girls for us, so I wanted to do some extra special clean up.

We're going to NH to visit friends we met while in St. Thomas last year. Chris and Joyce Rowe and their son Kevin and his wife Sandy were staying at Crystal Cove on Sapphire Beach. We met them at our bar and became instant friends. After the Sunday Beach Party at Sapphire (and after quite a few drinks) Joyce insisted we stop by their place and have dinner with them. Kevin grilled some steaks and Joyce had fresh peas from her garden and sweet potatoes. It was one of the nicest meals I had ever had. They just invited us in to their home and their hearts. Fabulous people. We socialized quite a bit with them during our stay and are looking forward to seeing them again this weekend. Luckily, we were all able to get the same weeks in ST, so we will be seeing them in February as well.

The other big event of the weekend is the battle for the AL East between the Yankees and Bosox. Since my Mets spit the bit in the NL Wildcard race, I've turned my attention to the Yankees. Looks like it's going to come down to this weekend in Boston to see who wins the pennant. Exciting stuff. Yankees are a half game up, but Boston plays a double-header today, so we'll see where the dust settles tonight.

So far I've been handling the change of seasons fairly well. Granted, it's only been five days, but still. And, well, maybe the shoe shopping at zappos has helped. : ) New kicks can cure any ills. Got some new sneaks for my early morning walks. As much as I hate getting up early, I am enjoying the walking. It's a nice, quiet, peaceful time. Gives me a few minutes to get my head straight first thing in the morning.

Dad's birthday dinner was great in terms of the company, but I'm still kicking myself for overcooking the beef. Ugh. I had everything under control, a thermometer in the tenderloin, a timer for the lobster tails, Mom manning the veggies on the grill and I still managed the mangle the beef. Mom, Dad, and John all raved about the dinner, but let's face it: I was there, too. The beef was horrible. We ended up having a great time, as usual. Mom and I polished off a couple bottles of wine and Dad and John were able to see some of the golf that was on. It was fairly warm, so we ate outside on the deck. The Girls were pretty well behaved. That's always a bonus.

Back to work time.

End Of The Week

Thankfully, it's Friday night and I'm at home after another brutal day at work. I think I'm losing patience with my job. Note to self: Do some deep thinking about future in current position.

Added a pic of The Girls after they took a swim at "our" doggy beach in Manasquan. This is the boat launch that is two lagoons over from our house. Convenient to get to, and as I said in an earlier post, calm water for my new water babies (or "baby" as Barrett is the only one who liked the water).

John is out getting some dinner and I am having a quiet evening at home. I need to map out my next couple of days I have a few things to get accomplished around the house, as well as dinner plans with friends tomorrow night, and Mom & Dad coming over on Sunday. Today is Dad's birthday, so we're going to celebrate that and their anniversary (Sept. 1st) on Sunday. Think I'm going to do a little surf and turf action. Need to come up with some side dishes, so that will be my next Friday night chore.

Love Friday nights. They are definitely a "come down" night for me. I very rarely go out on Fridays as I use the time to wind down from the week and plan my weekends. Saturday is a bigger social night for us. Luckily, John understands my need for some alone time and leaves me be. Sometimes I'll start some cleaning or organizing projects and I'll work on them until the wee hours of the morning. I'm an absolute night owl. Love the quiet and the creative buzz I get at night. I can get a ton accomplished. I'll start cleaning and John will joke that I'm "nesting." I get a great deal of satisfaction out of cleaning my home and having things neat and orderly. Or, it could just be that I'm manic and experiencing an "episode." ; )


Tonight's "What The Hell?" is brought to you by Overzealous Emailers Anonymous. I thoroughly enjoyed getting an email from someone I don't know, but who seems to know (based on the addresses in the email) my father and my uncle. Not really sure what his intentions are/were, but starting out a chain email by calling people "effing racists" is so not cool. I mean, what the hell? I don't even know this guy.

Ready to take a Fall

Oh joyous day. Not. Today is the first day of Autumn (well, it will be at 6 pm this evening) and, as usual, I'm thrilled. I absolutely abhor the beginning of fall. Hate it. I find nothing even remotely pleasant about the end of summer. I dread the end of daylight savings. My mood becomes as dark as the shrinking days. I went out for my morning walk and smelled that horrible "autumn air" smell. The temp was a crisp 54 degrees. Ugh. Someone shoot me now. I may even have to turn to fleece in the morning. Horrors. And the moment I'm forced to wear closed-toe shoes will be the moment my soul is stripped of all happiness. My pigs need to be free; pedicured a bright summer shade and dressed up in strappy sandals. Alas, it is not to be for much longer.

On to a happier topic (which would be just about anything at this point)......I dropped The Girls off at day-care this morning and they bounded up the stairs to go play with their friends. Cami ran into the play room and immediately flipped onto her back when one dog approached. She's such a submissive little thing. I can just hear her crying out, "DON'T EAT ME!" as she lay there with the other dogs coming over to say hello via their sniffers. Barrett, exhausted from the jaunt up the stairs, settled in for a little rest upon her arrival. They're such opposite little girls. Cami is so high-strung and nervous and Barrett is so laid back. I just love them both to pieces.

I'm going to be introducing a new aspect to my blog called, "What The Hell?" This is a take on my friend, Dana's "Who Does That?" which I really enjoy reading on her blog. Hopefully Dana won't mind my copying her great idea.

My first entry is a rather tempered version, as it really requires something other than "What The Hell?" WTF? is much more like it. However, I'll try to keep it clean. It's my honor to bestow the first Deb's Dish "What The Hell?" upon the NJDOT. That's right, the omnipresent New Jersey Department of Transportation. Just wanted to give them a little shout out and say thank you for for finally getting the 7 year nightmare known as New Road completed just in time for the schools to open and the influx of traffic. Then I'd like to thank them for closing the new lanes 3 days later and setting up our beloved orange and white barrels and herding us like cattle into two lanes without any kind of warning of a lane shift. We've had a wonderful time playing bumper cars the last two weeks. What the hell???

Wired

Well, my daily morning walk lasted all of 2 days. I completely overslept this morning and failed to get out early enough to get a walk in. Ugh. Not too good on my part, huh? I stayed up to watch Nip/Tuck which was over at 11:30 pm last night and that, added to the other nights of not enough rest, really did me in. Of course, I was then tired all day today and reached for a Dew at 2 pm. I kicked in about 20 minutes ago. So I'm high as a kite, yet I need some sleep. I hate these viscious cycles. I'm going to try to read a bit and hopefully I'll wind down.

Back from the Shore

Oy. Vacation is over already. John and I spent the past week in Manasquan on our annual Jersey Shore vacation. We always go the week after Labor Day. A very key week as the riff-raff has left town and the locals are out and about taking advantage of the wonderful shops and restaraunts in town. We had yet another fabulous week of weather....sunny everyday with temps in the high 8O's. A couple of humid days, but those were easily dealt with by sitting down by the ocean. And, I might add, I've never seen the beach looking so sweet! The water was incredibly clear; you could see your feet at 6 feet off shore. Really lovely.

It was the Girls' first trip to Manasquan. Unfortunately, poor Cami got sick Friday night and we had to delay our departure until Saturday. She was sick almost the entire week. I felt so bad for the little thing. She was not able to enjoy the beach at all. Barrett, on the other hand, took full advantage of the water. I think she may be part duck. No hesitation on her part. In she went! We didn't go to the regular Doggy Beach. John found a little area on the lagoon 2 streets over from our house where people drop their boats in the water. It was very calm and quiet, so the Girls were able to get their first taste of ocean water without the craziness of the Doggy Beach. It was better for Cam, but I don't think the Doggy Beach would have been too much for Barrett. Planet was in her own little world just hopping in and out of the water. As you can see in the picture, Barrett is looking for some action with the Kool Kong and Campbell is trying her best to tolerate the situation.

Our friend, Gretchen, spent the first couple of days with us and we did our usual Leggett's thing. Leggett's is a really cool bar on First Ave and has been a landmark in Manasquan for years. John, Gretch and I took in a few football games, had some drinks and did a lot of laughing. After Gretch left, I spent my time walking on the beach and collecting shells and sea glass. I just find the ocean so peaceful. In the immortal words of my friend, Ann, "I left my rage on the beach." I was a happy and calm camper for the week. Now I just need to hold on until February when I can leave my rage in the Caribbean!

It's back to my regular crazy life tomorrow. Hopefully things went smoothly in the office during the past week and I don't have to put out too many fires. I'm not holding my breath, though. I should probably plan on getting a decent night's sleep so I'm on my toes in the morning. Oh yeah, my goal is to get up a half hour earlier and get out for a walk each morning. Heh. I'm not holding my breath on that, either.

EDIT: Forgot to add a note about my big bad purchase while on vacation. I got a Rawlings glove leather business card holder for my desk and a matching key fob. Last year I purchased the Rawlings tote bag and just love it. I feel like I've got a baseball glove with me at all times.

And, P.S., I did make that 5:30 am wake up call for my walk. ; )

Feeling Better

I'e had to step away from things a little to get my head together. The disaster along the Gulf Coast has been weighing heavily on me, but I'm starting to feel a bit better. I exchanged e mails with Ann earlier today, and was not surprised to find that she was having the same difficulties as me. We are two peas in a pod. We shared some Bible verses that we found comforting and both of us have been praying for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. John and I discussed how we wanted to help and we came to the conclusion that we would suppport the animal rescues. So the donation goes to the AKC, as they are sending out every penny of donations to different shelters to help accomodate the displaced animals.

John and I spent the past weekend up in Boston. Our friends from St. Thomas set us up with tickets and we stayed at the Marriott Long Wharf which is right near Fanieul Hall. Great hotel and I would happily stay there again. We had a lot of fun. Boston is full of some really great people and fabulous history. I was not able to walk the Freedom Trail, but would put it at the top of my list for a return trip. Fenway was a lot of fun-the park was full and everyone was into the game.

After a short Labor Day week, John and I are heading down the shore for our annual September vacation. I've been needing this break. Can't wait to get out on the "island" (the fishing dock off the back of our deck that juts out into the lagoon) and take in some sun and some cocktails. We always get oysters and clams from Spike's in Point Pleasant and sit on the island and toss the shells into the lagoon. Good times. Gretch will be joining us for a few days, so I'm really looking forward to that. I love to spend the afternoon on the beach looking out at the water. My favorite time is late afternoon as the sun is going down and there are only a few of us holding onto the day. It's such a quiet and peaceful time. Great time for a walk along through the surf and to pick up some shells.

The Girls will be making their first trip to Manasquan and to the Doggy Beach. This ought to be fun. I hope B&C take to the water. They've really only waded into a stream, and Barrett seemed to enjoy it much more than her web-pawed sis, Campbell. Of course, anything new to Campbell is quite the source of discontent and worry. Bless her heart. If Cami could wring her little paws, she would. Barrett just hangs loose and rolls with it. What a pair. I'll be sure to posts pics of their first trip to the beach.

We'll be heading up to New Hampshire to visit some more St. Thomas friends at the end of the month. Can't wait to see the Rowe's. Fabulous people. I'll expand upon them after my return from the shore. Don't want to do a diservice to them as I'm rather tired.

Time to turn in. I'm off to bed.

A Very Sad Situation

I've hesitated in creating an entry as I have been terribly upset regarding the situation along the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina has wreaked havoc along the shores of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Although the water has receded from Biloxi, Pascagoula, and Mobile, New Orleans has been completely devastated. The unthinkable has occurred with the failure of two levees on Lake Ponchartrain. The city of New Orleans and it's surrounding areas are completely submerged. It's a disaster of epic proportions. Bedlam has broken out with looting, death, and destruction beyond our wildest imaginations.

I'm having a most difficult time with this...so many friends and classmates from UA lived in the affected areas. I'm praying for them. My heart aches and I have such feelings of sadness. I can't imagine their despair.

Maybe I'll have something more positive to say tomorrow. Talking about this is not helping right now.

Monday Morning Blues

I'm sitting in my office this morning quite distracted by the news of Hurrican Katrina bearing down on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana. The hurricane came in as a 4 and has since been downgraded to a 3. Either way, it's terribly destructive and I pray for the safety of the people in the area. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and I'm afraid it may be lost for a long time. It lies below sea-level and simply cannot sustain the water which is deluging the area. Since I am a grad of the University of Alabama, many of my classmates came from and still live in the New Orleans/Gulf Coast region. I have many happy memories of time spent on the Gulf and in the city, and now it may be washed away.

Well, in happier news, we had a cute little surprise party for my mom's birthday on Saturday. My dad convinced her that he was going to take her out to dinner and after Mom called me on Saturday morning to try to pry the truth out of me, she was hook,line, and sinker convinced that John and I were not going to see her on her birthday. Must say, Mom was a smidge displeased. : ) John and I stopped for some balloons and picked up and ice cream cake, them went over to M&D's to wait on the deck until Dad was able to get Mom to come out. She was onto something, but was still surprised to see us. We ended up having a very nice time, as always. I took some pics of mom and would like to post them here, with her permission of course. She's so darn cute.

Not much else to report today. Checked on Ted-he's fine. He's on the outskirts of the hurricane, so thankfully he and Catherine and the boys are safe.

I Can't Help It...It's Love

I know, yet another picture of my baby girls. This picture was taken just a couple of weeks ago. Barrett is her usual spaced out self and Campbell has that mischievious little look in her eyes.

The Sweeney Babies....

After the devastating loss of our baby boy, Tighe, John and I took a long vacation in St. Thomas to heal our broken hearts. We came back with renewed spirits and were ready to open our hearts and home to new babies.

After a rather short search, we found these two darlings through Petfinder.com. We contacted the adoption agency and were basically dismissed without a thought. Discouraged, we tried to reach out once again to the agency to prove our worth as parents. This time, we were at least granted a phone interview. After answering a number of different questions, and feeling like our chances were slipping away, I told John to tell the foster mom that we were willing to adopt two puppies.

Well, if that didn't move us to the top of the pile! We quickly made plans to see the puppies and waited for the day to arrive. After rushing home from work on Monday, March 7th, John and I drove to Plainfield to the foster mom's house to see the pups. Guided by the high pitched yipping of 8 puppies, we made our way to the upstairs bedroom. We were greeted by a swarm of little ears, little noses, wagging tails, and major puppy belly.

What I quickly noticed was that the one little brown puppy was being pounced on by the other 7 solid black pups. She had squeezed herself under John as he squatted down to get a better look at her, and based on the horror on her face, she wasn't coming out any time soon. My motherly instincts kicking in, I grabbed the little girl and swept her up into my arms. One look into her little brown eyes and I was a goner. It was love. The foster mom told me her name was Shea, but I quickly (but silently) renamed her Campbell.

No doubt my little one need a playmate. I looked around at the other puppies, but was not really taken by any of them. I decided to concentrate on getting to know Campbell and sat down on the floor to bond with her. Not to be left behind, one of the little black pups persistently licked my hands and nudged my arms for attention. I was informed that "Bertha" was not only the largest of the puppies, but the sweetest. It didn't take long for me to see that Bertha was a special girl. She never once used her little puppy teeth to get my attention. She only gave kisses. I secretly renamed her Barrett and made it my mission to convince John that these were the puppies for us.

It broke my heart to leave both girls that night. Reluctantly, we made our way to the car and promised to call the foster mom with our final decision by Wednesday. John was not sold on either puppy. I was over the moon about both of them. Tuesday and Wednesday proved to be brutal days at work for me. I desperately wanted the puppies. I finally called John and told him that my world would come to an end if we did not adopt both Shea and Bertha. With a sigh, John said, "I've got them both in my truck and we're on our way home." I joyously ran out of the office and sped home to greet my new babies.

It's been love ever since.

The little ones enjoy eating out of the same bowl as you can see in the picture. Now that they are 8 months, it's comical to see them trying to put both heads into the bowl.

*Sigh* It's crazy love.

Campbell & Barrett

My beautiful girls, Campbell & Barrett. This is a shot of them at 15 weeks old. They are now 8 months, but look very similar (just much larger!) They are incredibly sweet and good-natured. They love to give sweet gentle kisses.