On The Brighter Side....

...my eyebrows have started to come back in. I wasn't able to get to my regular salon for a little nip/tuck prior to my visit with Christine (more on that later) so I went to a place near my office. After explaining to the chick who was weilding the tweezers, "I really just need a little cleaning up," she proceeded to wax my eyebrows clear off. WTF? I was horrified. She then filed off my nails and glopped on some polish. I swear, it looked like a 3-year-old did my manicure. Note to self: never go back.

So I'm driving home from work last night, caught in some serious bumper-to-bumper traffic. Not that that is unusual, but it gave me the opportunity to read the plate of the guy ahead of me (after I almost re-ended him when he cut me off). I mean, where the hell was he going? There's nothing but tail lights in front of us, but he just had to get in front of me. No stopping at the sign for this guy...no way...he'll just pull right out in front of me thank you very much....I digress....after Mr. Asshole with the cancer stick in his mouth cuts me off, I see that he has a NJ Firefighter license plate. OK, maybe he's used to rushing. You know the saying, "Where's the fire?" I decided to give the guy a break.

However. And that's a big HOWEVER. All bets were off when Mr. NJ Firefighter flicks his lit cigarette out the window. Is he the only chump on Earth who is not aware that all of California is on fire? Isn't he the one person who should know better? I absolutley lost my mind. Isn't this the guy who is supposed to be Smokey's sidekick in the "Don't Start Forest Fires" commercials? What a dickhead.

Speeking of CA, my account manager, Steve, had to evacuate his house the other day as the fire was getting uncomfortably close. Wacky shit, man. Thankfully he and his family are back home after holing up at a WalMart. It's just frightening and hopefully it will end without any more loss of life or property. It doesn't look good, though.

Back to my commute home. After stewing in the car for about 45 minutes over Mr. I Choose To Flick, I'm sitting at a light waiting my turn to bolt. A young girl is waiting to make a left onto the street that I'm stopped on. As she pulls out, she nearly collides with a car making a left in front of her. In a panic, she puts her car in reverse and proceeds to back into the guy behind her. This girl was a one car wrecking machine. It was classic. And, she did this all without dropping the cell phone from her ear. Nice.

Gretchen and I did the American Cancer Society's Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk this past Sunday. We had a lot of fun and it was for a great cause, which always makes a person feel good. I brought Barrett with me (as she's the one dog in my pack who actually has legs that work) and hoped for the best. Ba Ba is not too great in crowds, and considering there were thousands of people there, this was a real test for her. I'm happy to say that she did really well. She got a little spooked when people walked into her, or when a kid road one of those stupid razor scooters by her, but all in all, it was a successful outing for the Black Girl. She even sported a pretty pink scarf for the event:


So, I mentioned Christine earlier. She is one of my oldest and dearest friends. She and I had taken a little "hiatus" from our relationship (a 12 year hiatus)but are now back together and better than ever. She and her husband, Roger, came up to NJ from Florida and these are a couple of shots from our visit:

We're too cute. ;)

WTF? Just Get On The Bus

Okay, People. What's up with kids not getting on the bus and holding up traffic? I have to drive through a residential neighborhood to get to my office and, natch, get caught behind a school bus. Some big ass drama unfolds and this kid is holding onto mama's leg with all his might in an effort to not climb aboard his bus. Minutes are ticking away and so is my patience. It's all I can do to not start screaming out my window at this little mamby-pamby, snot-nosed, whiny-ass little motherfucker to get on the bus and stop holding up traffic. If I were that kid's mother, I'd kick the shit out of him on a daily basis until he got on the god damn bus without incident. I swear, we're raising a bunch of pansy-assed, weak-kneed, bleeding heart little rug rats who will be the ruin of this country. Get on the fucking bus like a man you little asswipe.

Oh, and when I walked the dogs this morning, I saw my breath in the air. Is it too much to ask for the chill to stay away until the end of September? I mean, really? Fuck me. I need to up my anti-depressants.

So glad to be back from vacation. Fuckers.

Barrett at the Doggy Beach

My firend, Gretchen, and I shot down to Manasquan this past Sunday. Cami's knee is not healing well, so we left her home with Daddy and took Barrett to the Doggy Beach. What we really wanted was some White Stuff (aka New England Clam Chowder) from Spike's Fish Market. So after Barrett dried off and Gretch and I enjoyed a cocktail in the parking lot (note the cooler on the ground to the right),

we headed over to Spike's and grabbed some goodies to take home to share with John. Gretch and John shared some white, while I had some fabulous lobster bisque. Had some Jonas crab claws and stuffed clams as well. Good stuff.

Here are a couple of pictures of Barrett enjoying the beach:

Barrett running on the beach and then looking for a playmate:

Here's my girl looking pretty:

All I Wanted Were Window Boxes

So, as you know, we had our annual BBQ a couple of weeks ago. And as you know, this BBQ always initiates a round of "Let's Make A Deal" between John and myself. As I'm not the biggest fan of the party, I tolerate it only as it does get John in motion to do some landscaping around the house.

For the past couple of years, I've been trying to think of a way to make the front of the house "pop" a bit more. It's a little on the boring side and I've considered painting the front door red, installing shutters and so forth. Well, the shutters wouldn't work as the gables are not wide enough and I can't seem to work up the nerve to whip out the red paint. I did, however, invest some money into some pretty copper and wrought iron window boxes that could sit on the ledge of my picture window and dining room window. Having put some pink impatiens in them at the beginning of the season, they looked pretty, but still failed to yield the "pop" I've been looking for.

When John had the deck flooring installed on the porch, he asked the contractor if he could make some nice white window boxes and install them on the front of the house. We figured the white would pull out the white trim around the windows and add some color without going crazy. I was so excited that I was finally going to get the window boxes I had always wanted! I waited patiently (ahem) and only called John 3 times a day everyday until the workers arrived with my window boxes.

John called me at work and was a little hesitant to discuss the boxes. I kept badgering him to tell me how they looked and he said, "Well, they're big....they're really wide." And I said, "Well, the windows are wide and we wanted them to extend a little past the windows, so that should be good." And John said, "No, I mean, they're reeeeaaaaalllly big." So at this point I'm a little perturbed, because I'm not there to see them for myself. I insist John take a picture with his phone and e mail it to me immediately. I open the picture and much to my surprise I see a rather large white box running the entire length of the window, which was pretty much what I wanted. What I couldn't see and would not discover until I got home, was the "wide" John was talking about was the depth of the box as it came out from the house.

This was no window box, People. This was a balcony off the front of my house. I'm not kidding when I say I could put a chaise on it and lay in the sun. These boxes were absolutely HUGE. After I stopped screaming and insisting they be ripped off the front of the house (p.s. these babies aren't moving as they are bolted into the stone) I calmed down enough to let John say he would fill them with plants to see if that would break up the overall size appearance. If not, he would inquire about having them removed. I grudgingly agreed and moped off to pout about my window-box-turned-balcony debacle.

After a full day of painstakingly searching for the right plants with color and drape, John was able to fill the boxes with an assortment that really looks beautiful. So, although the boxes are still a bit on the large side, they do look nice and certainly add some pop to the front of the house. Now, step back, because I whipping out the red paint!

Another BBQ is Upon Us

It's that time of year again! The Annual Sweeney Neighborhood BBQ! Yay! Not. I'm so over this whole bbq situation. The only reason I tolerate it is because it prompts John to do work around the house. For this year, we're installing new front steps, some new plants, a white picket fence (how quaint of me) and completely re-doing the porch. More on the porch later.

We've got about 80 people coming to the BBQ. This year we're hosting it on a Saturday because John's softball buddies want to party late into the night. Well, whatever the softball guys want, they get, right? So we're starting at 3 pm and who knows when everyone will clear out. I've also been informed that the boys want a band to play, which really pushed me over the edge. You want a band? You go hire one. The nerve. I've was then informed that if the band won't be there, the boys want really good music. OK, peckerheads, now I've really had enough. We always play great music. John's looking into some kind of iPod dock that can go outside and we can just stick our iPods into it. I'm sure the boys will love mine: Barry Manilow, The Carpenters, Helen Reddy.....

Campbell has completed one week of physical therapy for her left leg. The left ACL was done last December, but she has simply not healed well from it. The right knee (done in April) doesn't seem to give her any trouble. So we've got her enrolled at Canine Aquatics. She goes MWF all day and has a couple of sessions throughtout the day. Cami walks on the underwater treadmill and has just started swimming in the pool. I really hope this helps her little leg. It's so sad to see her limping around.

So, back to the house. My Dad has been working feverishly to complete the porch project before the party. What in incredible job he's done! Dad removed the ceiling, removed joists and raised other joists to create an open pitched ceiling. Then he added wainscoting to finish it and painted it white. He added an overhead fan, which is great for moving the air around. We got a swing and a rocker and those really look terrific out on the porch. John hired a guy to install a wood floor over the existing flagstone floor, and that came out beautifully as well. We're just waiting to have the floor oiled, then we're all set. This is what the porch looked like last year before the picnic (the patio and landscaping was the pay off for that party):

We sill have to add the new plants to the planter and add some other "finishing touches," but this is how the porch looks now:






Much better. It seems much more spacious and is certainly more inviting. The swing is really great. Very comfortable and a nice place to relax after a long day. I'll be enjoy a nightly glass off wine out there!

The front steps are still being worked on, so I'll post some photos of them later. If you'd like to see more pics of the porch (and I know you're just dying to) check out my smugmug.

Memorial Day Festivities

I'm a bit late in getting a post up regarding Memorial Day, but hey, it's my blog and I'll blog when I want to.

John, Gretchen and I went to Manasquan for the long Memorial Day weekend. We cruised down with The Girls on Friday after my doctor's appointment. This ridiculous uterine/bladder/urinary tract infection bullshit just won't go away. I've really had it with feeling like crap and being in so much pain that it's nearly impossible to sit still for more than 5 minutes. I'm doing a dance in my chair over here. Very appropriate for the office. Anyway, I digress....

Back to The Girls! Oh, they are the best! Cami and Baa-Baa passenger really well, so we have no problems tossing them in the truck and taking off. They are such the shore puppies. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Here is Cami on our way down to Manasquan. She's quite content to snooze.



The Girls are a bit pooped after an afternoon of frolicking at the Doggy Beach.



John and Gretch having drinks at Sunsets.



And here are Gretch and myself getting ready to head out for the night.



Campbell's surgeon gave us the go-ahead to walk Cami "until she drops." The intention is to get some of her excess energy out of her system. Our concern has been that she gets so riled up in the house that she'll hurt herself worse by jumping all around than walking calmly on a leash. So we walked her while down the shore and continue to do so now. Needless to say, Cami is a much happier camper.

OK, just had a really wacky experience. Nightline has been in our office all day to do a story on our company. Natch, we've been on our best behavior all day and wearing our Sunday best. So it's late in the afternoon now and it looks like the camera guys are taking some "filler" shots of AJ walking through the office and the such. Next thing you know, he pops into my office, camera crew in tow. Now, I was fairly certain that I would not be making the taping so I pulled my hair up in a clip, took off my blazer and pretty much relaxed. Oh, and I started to blog. So not only does the camera crew film me, they walk behind my desk and film my blog. This is so not good. Worse, I'm so thrown off by being exposed by Nightline, that I answer AJ's questions like a complete idiot. Crap. Nice way to end the day.

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend is upon us. John and I have some fun plans, beginning tonight as we head out to our favorite restaurant, Casa de Pasta. We're regulars there and really enjoy hanging out on Friday nights, having a few drinks and enjoying a great meal.

Tomorrow afternoon we're going to John's sister's house to celebrate Mother's Day. My sister-in-law and her family share a mother/daughter with her parents. My mother-in-law is jonesing for some lobster, so we're having a fish fest. Should be fun. The weather is supposed to be nice, so it will be great to spend the day outside (after I spend all morning having my nails, toes, and hair done inside).

John is golfing Sunday morning with my dad and my Uncle Rich. Mom and Aunt Sharon will carpool over to my house, so when the guys return, everyone will be together for a BBQ. Haven't really decided on the menu yet....I just know the cocktails will be flowing and there will be a lot of laughter. I'm very lucky that I'm able to enjoy my parents company. Some people never get out of the "parent mode," but my parents have evolved into my friends. They're still Mom and Dad first, but it's nice that we can have an easy relationship as we age. John really enjoys spending time with them as well, along with my Uncle Rich and Aunt Sharon, so it's going to be a great day.

Cami is recovering from her second ACL surgery. This operation seems to have gone much more smoothly than the first. I'm glad she's doing well, but it's also presenting some issues. Campbell is completely out of her mind. She's been so cooped up for so long that she is just dying to get outside and run with her sister, Barrett. It's just killing her to be in her crate all day. She gives me such the face. I emailed her surgeon and the good news is that I can take Cami for longer walks (longer than the 5 minutes she gets right now). So hopefully that will help cut her nervousness and energy level. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cute Overload.com

I can't stand it. This is the best site ever. I find myself checking in to Cute Overload numerous times throughout the day to get my cute fix. Everything about it is fantastic, from the pictures, to the captions, to the site specific language. Need a break from the everyday? Check out Cute Overload!

Campbell....Babe....You're Bleeding Me Dry

So it's 11:20 pm on Wednesday night and I'm logging on, not after spending the last hour caught up in an episode of LOST, but after spending four and a half hours in the emergency room with Campbell.

John called as I headed out of work at a little before 6 tonight. He said Cami had vomited on the patio and it looked like she had brought up some blood. So, I spring into Mom mode and tell him to get on the horn to our vet, who is about 2 minutes from our house. John calls back, all babbly and flustered, saying that our vet is tied up with two emergencies already and cannot see Campbell. John mentions that our vet suggested visiting the emergency clinic in Fairfield if Cami doesn't improve.

As I try to formulate a plan of action with John, he says, "Gotta run, it's bowling night." I mean, really, who gives a shit if our dog is throwing up an intestine? John needs to be sure he gets the use out of those thirty-five dollar bowling shoes he bought. Now, if it's one thing I've learned over the years, it's to double-check EVERY SINGLE THING JOHN TELLS ME. I hop on the bluetooth to our vet, who delicately informs me that she wouldn't waste any time getting Campbell to the emergency room, ya know, if it were her dog and all.

I'm now traveling at warp speed to pick up my baby and get her the now obvious medical care she needs. So I call Mike, my new trainer, tell him I won't be at the gym as I need to have my dog cut open from crotch to sternum to remove whatever is ailing her tummy. He's not pleased, but hey, fuck him.

Did I mention that the emergency clinic is in Fairfield, an hour from my house? Did I mention that I was coming home from work? Did I mention that I fucking work in Fairfield? Yeah, nice.

I get home and at this point my stomach is in an uproar because I love my Cami and hate to see her in pain. I also know that I needed to slip a zip lock baggie over my hand and pick up a bunch of bloody vomit. Sue me for having an over-active gag reflex.

I jump out of the truck, only to find that I'm ankle deep in a bunch of mud whilst in my Opaca tan, crocodile embossed-kitten heeled pumps from Franco Sarto. Can you say "Pissed off"? Now might be a good time to mention that my husband is a landscape contractor who specializes in hardscapes. Is there any good reason why after all these years in this house I can't have a fucking walkway to my front door? Oh yeah, I forgot, her name is Campbell....

The little bitch is lucky she's so darn cute. I take one look at her and can tell she's not a happy camper. I make an educated guess that it could have something to do with the Nextel phone she ate a few days ago. I grab the baggie, grab the vomit, grab Campbell and gingerly walk my way back to the truck. I pick up Cam, sink further into the mud, mentally throw the newly enacted shoe budget out the window, and hop in the truck. Away I go to Fairfield, the place I've just returned from.

Luckily, the hospital is not busy and Cami is taken in quickly. She proceeds to vomit 4 times, refuse to allow the cute vet (who's fly was down the whole evening-why is that something you feel compelled to stare at?) to palpate her stomach and sits down as the tech is taking her temperature. From her butt.

Four and a half hours later, Cute Vet With Fly Down decides he's going to admit her as he doesn't like the look of her x-rays. He tells me to call him later as he's working until 1 am (at this point it sounds like he and I are dating) and he'll give me an update. I take a few stolen glances at his fly, shake his hand (which I found to be somewhat hysterical at that moment) and proceed to check out.

It's now explained to me that Cami will need to be discharged from the hospital by 8 am and taken straight-away to her regular vet, catheter intact. So, tomorrow morning, I will drive to Fairfield to pick up Cam at the hospital, drive her to our regular vet (2 minutes from our house) and then go into the office. The office which is conveniently located in Fairfield.

Campbell, you're lucky you're cute.

In all seriousness, I'd do anything for my baby girl. I'll post again on her condition as I get updated.