SidDawgHouse

Happy Non Traditional New Year!

2012-01-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

It feels like New Years Day because of the Rose Parade this morning, but this is Monday the 2nd. I'm lukewarm about the tradition of "never on Sunday" for the parade because I am a staunch believer in keeping on traditions for the sake of doing so, but feeling inconvenienced and "off" because of it. I have similar feelings about Daylight Savings time and Leap Year. The year has begun either way, with or without my approval.

2012-01-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

A New Years Toast, "Champagne Jam", in honor of my sis Maggie who was Atlanta Rhythm Section's biggest fan. Happy New Year sis, wherever you are!

For the ages

2010-01-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

You aren't just the age you are, you are all the ages you ever have been.

- Kenneth Koch

blog test number 1

2010-01-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

blog test one

Sometimes it stays with you

2009-11-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Destiny, not guilt, was enough
for Actaeon. It is no crime
to lose your way in a dark wood.
It happened on a mountain where
hunters
had slaughtered so many animals
The slopes were parched red with
the butchering places.
When shadows were shortest and
the sun’s heat
hardest
Young Actaeon called a halt:
‘We have killed more than enough
for the day…’
Actaeon, “making a beeline home from the hunt” stumbled on the bathing place.
He couldn’t help himself. He stared at the goddess’ naked body, and Diana
“blushed like a dawn cloud” and reached for a weapon. She had only water:
So she scooped up a handful and
dashed it
into his astonished eyes, as she
shouted:
“Now, if you can, tell how you saw
me naked”.
That was all she said but as she
said it
Out of his forehead burst a rack of
antlers
His neck lengthened, narrowed,
and his ears
folded to whiskery points,
his hands were hooves.
His arms long slender legs.
His hunter’s tunic
slipped from his dappled hide.
With all this
The goddess
Poured a shocking stream of panic,
terror
Through his heart like blood.
He had become a stag. Bounding away,
Actaeon was caught by his fellow hunters:
He wished he were among them
Not suffering this death but observing
The terrible method
Of his murderers, as they knotted
Muscle and ferocity to dismember
Their own master.

credit: Ted Hughes, reteller of 25 of Ovid's tales, and Anthony Day of the LA Times bringing it to me twelve years ago. Sometimes stuff rocks your world. This was one of them for me.

Attitude pt III

2009-10-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

When the world seems big and out of control, and you seem little and insignificant, I think it's important to stop every now and again to take a snap shot of what's going on around you. A picture captured will give you time to look at the other little details in the picture, the looks on faces, the color of the sky. It will give time to reflect what was being said right then, or tasted, or shared. Replay a moment in time a couple of times over and I think the enormity of the world dies down to insignificance, and the weight of the moment becomes enormous. Of course I don't mean to pull out a camera out to do this, but just capturing in your mind's eye a snap shot of something meaningful that you're doing right now. Now stop for a few minutes and look at it. Really look. I'll bet you see stuff that eluded you at first glance. I wonder if you'll notcie how you're all of a sudden in the middle of picture. I know I did, and I didn't even know I was there. But funny enough I was SO there.

Attitude, part II

2009-10-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I miss partaking in the inanity of it all. I miss my old life when there was nothing but time and exploration. Even the stress of low income living seemed tolerable way back when, and dare I say, full of hidden joys. And inanities.

I thought about that as I drudged out front to pick up my empty trash cans from the curb tonite. I felt the black cloud and lightning bolts over my head. A direct cartoon reference to be sure but but one that this kind of mood always elicits and I smiled at the ridiculousness of the visual. I positioned myself between the rolling cans, spun around to face away and take one in each hand behind me ready to drag, I begin to trudge. Drudge. I listened to the roar of the wheels on the hard packed earth. Marveled at the feeling of cobwebs on my hands as I pulled the cans in the dusk unable to see but yet not panicking at the thought. I squeezed them together behind my back as I passed thru the tight space at my jeep and smiled at the success realizing they must not have actually fit but I never slowed down to find out. I rounded the corner of the house and smiled at the plastic Garden Gnome , fresh batteries lighting up his hat and latern in the gloom. The cat readied his attack and pounced at the perfect time, missing me and aiming for the dog who was happily trotting beside me. I laughed out loud at the dog's indifference. I parked the cans and stepped happily out of the dark yard into the warm glow that was pouring from the kitchen door, cat and dog at my heels. And sat down to tell you all how I love partaking in inanities. Sometimes it's the attitude, not the situation.

Five Minutes

2009-09-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Five minutes was all I asked. Five minutes was all I had. In that time I reached up, grabbed a handful of mane, bobbed on one foot careful not to pull the saddle toward me and climbed aboard. Heard the familiar creak of leather. Patted his neck and smelled the familiar smell of sweat and hair on my hand. Gathered up the reins to “put the horse in gear” and stepped on the throttle with a light stab of my heels. The bunching of muscle and twitch of skin told me he was listening and ready to take us forward and true to his nature, left the direction up to me. We walked for a few minutes to establish a working relationship, your moves, my moves. Before we attempt to try out the throttle, we try out the brakes and with a light tightening of the reins, a shift in my balance toward the back and heels ahead and a quiet ho-hup from me, we come to an immediate stop. Loosen the reins but maintain contact we're off again, this time a little brisker. This time the stop a little more immediate. And this time the go is in an opposite direction, just to find out who was really holding the steering wheel. Your wish is my command he seemed to say. A few minutes of that and we're satisfied, ready to walk back to his owner and do what riders do best, sit on their horse a few minutes, slack reined, while just hanging out and talking. No pestering. No fidgeting. No nibbling. Just hanging out. Hold the reins taut in one hand perched on the horn, swing over and balance on one foot for a nano second, and climb down. A scritch on the neck to say thank you and assure that the familiar scent of sweat and hair is on both hands, and hand the reins back over. Five minutes was all it took to realize what's been missing and what will be coming in the coming months.

Beyond Exhaution

2009-09-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

"Beyond exhaustion". Adv. Adj. Verb Noun Def: A weekend class which required predawn alarms, long hours, responsibility for the entertainment, safety, and success of paying students. (historical note: predawn alarm in the past 48 hours which did not activate caused oversleeping so now when it's crucial, the lightness of sleep is commenserate with the weight of the responsibility of not oversleeping again) Also of note, this being the "last" class of the season which represents my guilt and responsibilty of my having to explain and justify why there wont be another for so long, and more description of work I will have to find to do during the down-time as I report this information to the boss(es). Further definition of exhaustion: this being an "away" class which required securing a truck (borrowed), trailer(borrowed), lists of materials the length of your arm, man power to pack said truck/trailer/materials, requesting a check for the rent, justifying payment for the manpower/help/rent (because of still paying for first rent), new area to run a class in that's full of unknown obstacles and pitfalls to contend with (ie: Labor Day weekend overflow parking from Lake Perris on OUR parking lot and plumbing in the classroom which has now twice left us with overflowing toilets on OUR time making it OUR responsibility). Man power of said away-class to drive the borrowed truck trailer is me, and in my limited experience find that pulling said 28 foot trailer loaded with 9 bikes, 18 tie downs, various ez ups, chairs, coolers, file boxes, cones and lumber is treacherous at best and downright terrifying, especially when being maneuvered through a) check point charley DUI station #1 on Friday night, 2) through an 8'1" wide gate with an 8' wide trailer. Numerous times. In the dark. With Fair traffic coming toward you and Norco sheriff behind you holding a light on you demanding that you "move this trailer off of the road" "Now". 3) Driving through 2nd DUi station on another night with said trailer after having stopped after a 12 hour day for some dinner. And beers. 4) Manuevering through said gate once again at night but this time with less direct angle to begin and getting tangled up in said fence. 5) Going no more than 55 mph at any given time because of the warnings and experience that the tongue weight is incorrect and there is "some opportunity for swaying". "Which would be bad".
Of note of course would be the class itself which housed an opportunity to host an unannounced Quality Assurance audit from the State, a summer day predicted to be 93 degrees but instead is 103. A class full of what I would describe as "anchors" for anyone familiar with the term, and then of course a fairly unassuming "tip over" requiring an incident report, followed by a dismissal of that student from class, closely watched for propriety by the auditor of course, then immediately followed up by a complete passing out, fainting, loss of conciousness by said dismissed student which required a call to 911 to have said unconcious student checked over by the authorities. Note to self: Good news, the check by paramedics was clear, and student refused any further attention. Note that will be being supplied to the authorites by said auditor: "exceeds standards". "Especially because of the handling of the emergency".
More definition of "beyond exhaustion": Should I even begin to add to the effort and emotion already expended in the past two to three weeks of moving out of a recent residence, m0ving out of a recent relationship, moving back INTO a past residence which carries ghosts and memories having to be contended with. Nah, that wouldn't even begin to describe the amount of discord that lays lying around in my immediate vicinity. I have nothing solid underneath me right now, nothing within my control or comfort in my surroundings, nothing solid in the "mobile" class I'm trying to put on. All I know is the tangible feeling of exhaustion. And to that end it is very real. And actually kind of welcomed and respected for all it's worth. If I do say so myself.

Cat toys at your feet

2009-07-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

I saw a story on Nat Geo about a rescue dog in his new home who arranged his toys in very distinct patterns (ie: triangles, all one kind of toy, all face up or all face down, etc). They time- lapsed video of him doing this and sometimes it would take a very long time for him to make his choices, pick them up, set them down, pick them up again until he was happy with the end result. Spooky. I thought about this when I saw a picture a friend took of toys his cat would bring in and leave near the bed as he slept. Jack tries to do that too, but with real "toys" it's way more disgusting than intriguing. Here's a link to that nifty dog story. It still gives me comfort and the creeps at the same time.

http://dobermansden.com/donnie-the-doberman-arranges-toys/

Tonights walk

2009-06-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Walking with and watching the dog learn and behave in a calm submissive way makes for happy companionship on a walk around the block. It's not a good neighborhood I live in, and as I turned down a street I'm unfamiliar with and began to make my way in a direction I knew to be toward home, I found myself on a quiet undesirable back street. The dog begins to be more aggressive in her role, walking ahead, nose down and unnaturally interested in every smell along the side of the walk, pulling forward, falling behind. Her attention is on anything besides me. Now I'm aware of a car parked along the curb that I am fast approaching, 2 young men inside. My attention now is on anything besides her, and I pull out every trick in the book about looking and seeming unlike a target. My posture is now more assertive, shoulders back, eyes ahead and looking towards and at the car to let them know I see them. Like I will do when I pass an aggressive dog, Caesar tells us to just keep walking, don't stop, don't even hesitate, eyes ahead just continue doing what you're doing. Nothing happens. Past the scene, the dog goes back to just walking, I go back to just walking. It makes me wonder who set off who, the dog preparing me, me preparing the dog, or just mutual respect to watch out for each other because of our happy companionship.

Sid's Angel

2009-06-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

Some 20 years ago, a family went to the pound to decide on a dog. There he was in his anonymous splendor, defying identification of his breed. So home he went and the first order of business was to get him checked out at the vet. The diagnosis was sound health, needs his nails trimmed and his, well, you know what dog-hood disarmed. The vet went on to say what a good looking dog this is, is he a Catahoula Leopard Dog? Who knows, this was in a day and age before PetCo Dog DNA tests, which as we know now would have better identified him as a wire-haired-Plott-hound-Brussels Griffon then anything else in their limited baselines. But that’s another story. So we take our new “Cat” home and look him up in the dog breed books and sure enough he very well could be one and it’s a fun story to tell when showing him off to friends and family. That is, a fun story to try to tell but to do so required using a mouthful of long words, and even longer explanation of this non-AKC recognized herding dog from the Louisiana Bayou back country. So we eventually stop making reference to his breed and just go on to know him as “Sid”. Skip ahead 15 years, after a life well lived and a friendship borne of constant companionship, it’s now time to make the hardest decision ever known to mankind, at least to those who have been touched by the truest friendship and purest emotion only a pet can elicit. The loss it will create is what is so hard about the decision, it is actually an easy non-decision because of the trust he has put in me and the dignity and respect I will bestow on him not to suffer or be less of the dog he always strived to be. There is the doubt that you will know the exact moment when to say when, but when that time actually does come, you just know. Skip ahead to that day. I go to my regular vet where we’ve come for the past few years and we know them and they know us, but yet the man that appears in the little room is a stranger to me. He’s large but gentle. He’s competent but kind. He’s thorough in his descriptions and preparations so there would be no misunderstanding during the sequence of events but somehow in his demeanor he has made me feel comfortable. But the coolest part of all was that before he proceeds, he takes a few minutes to talk to me, ask about Sid, ask about our lives together, Sid and I. And then, as if he accidentally revealed himself to me for the angel that he truly was, there to help both me and Sid know that this was the right day, the right decision, he said, “now that’s a good looking dog. What is he, a Catahoula Leopard Dog?” This time I just said yes. And then we said goodbye.

My life as a toon

2009-05-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

I should have read between the lines last December when I volunteered to help take down the Haunted House in the parking lot of the amusement park where we lease space to work our Motorcycle Safety classes. I described the hours of prying nails out of the asphalt, gathering the corpses and cobwebs for storage, and posing with the tortured waif in the laboratory.

But it wasn't until I heard myself describe to the new instructor where to meet me last weekend, when I told him to go through the gate behind the Statue of Liberty and make a left at the gargoyls. It all makes perfect sense to me, it's a wonder I don't think the antics of novice motorcyclists seems out of the ordinary.

Spit and Polish

2009-05-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

I carried my small goldfish bowl through the dealership on the way to clean their water. The other employees now know this as taking my fish for a walk. On the way back through the parts department, the fish and I stopped for a visit, then as we turned and headed back toward the classroom, me holding the bowl out in front as I walked, the two of them, Spit and Polish, swam to the front of the bowl, pressed their noses against the glass and wagged their tails, as if they were dogs on a car ride! I'm still smiling, hours later.

I had an idea

2009-04-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

Remember when light bulbs used to *POP* when they burned out? Well, last night the one in the bathroom was flickery, so I turned it off then turned it on so that I'd be ready for the inevitable jump I always do. Nothing. Just out. Now, come to think of it it's been a long time since I've been surprized when reaching into a dark room and flicking on the lights. Years, really. Is this a new function of lightbulb technology? I hope so 'cause I just HATE when that happens.

Spring Cleaning

2009-04-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air, and soon enough in the ground around my new house. As some of my listening audience will recall I can be very optimistic when it comes to envisioning a yard full of growing glory. It's kind of pathetic actually when the sad truth is I have no experience, no natural ability and no connections. But O the visions of Tropical Wonders! I was actually quite close once, pleasant but a far cry from exultant, when I had come back from Hawaii and begun to accumulate bird o' paradises, bougainvilleas, and of course the famous plumarias. All kept in pots. The pot requirement was two fold, one that I could manage a plant in 44" of top soil, and two that I didn't own and didn't believe I would remain at the Norco property long enough to enjoy "real" gardening and I'll be darned if I'll put plants in the ground for somebody else to murder. So began the pot collection. And the plant collection. But with the passing of H. Plant and his progeny, so passed my desire and belief in my plant-y dreams. One by one each of the pets in pots began to go to seed, dry out, become gangly, and finally succumbing to neglect. Skip ahead a year and I find myself in suburbia, with a yard FULL of potential (real estate speak for unfinished). I felt the familiar tingle of hope. Empty pots begging to be filled and arranged. A faux veranda. A misting system. Ahhhhh, I can feel the cool and the green already! As I put the spade in to begin turning over some dirt I thought I heard a small yippee escape from below.

2009-04-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the best communication happens when you're on separate bikes.

2009-04-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

I eat my peas with honey, I’ve done it all my life
It makes the peas taste funny, but They Sure Stick on the Knife!

I’ve done all my personal computing, 1997 to be exact, on AOL. It was for lack of understanding at the beginning, for familiarity through the years, but truth be told, even after all this time, it is because I am still a little afraid of the internet and I still feel like I will miss something if it is not pre-approved by AOL. So when AOL tells me that I need to do something, I’ve been loyal, they believe and respect me, right? And so I’ll do it. Upgrade my security and firewalls? Sure. Upgrade to the newest version for MY benefit? Nice. A new reporting system to capture where and when a problem with AOL has occurred? Hurrah! I’ll do it.

So just now as I was signing on, once again seeing the all too oft given “encountering a problem, AOL must shut down” but with it was offered a gentle maternal pat and the words that cooed “do you want to report this problem?” I dutifully and hopefully pushed “yes” and in a heartbeat an error report was
1) prepared
2) connected to the server
3) checked for the status of this problem
4) completed

What’s wrong with this picture? The report was generated because of system lock up on connection, furthermore they have now established shutting it down, and yet they are able to prepare/connect/check/send and complete in a flash? One of two things is afoot here: either connectivity is available to them when it is not available to me or… the report is a sham. A lie. A patronizing way to placate the uninformed. NO! Aol wouldn’t do that to a loyal customer. Would they?

ships on a peaceful sea

2009-03-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

OOOO ! Two chips on a piece of cheese!

When I heard myself exclaim such a ridiculous statement tonight, it cracked me up and I can't quite put my finger on why. Calorically it was a naughty. Metaphorically it was naughty, Categorically it wasn't naughty but WAS unusual, poetically, lyrically, grammatically, symbolically. Each one had a place in that moment in time when I said it. Inane, maybe, but I like that I laughed over it. And oh yeah, it tasted good.

Gray Flannel

2009-03-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year that has always stirred in me the urge to roam. I’m sure some people look to the heart of winter as a time to hunker down and pull the covers over their heads and hide, but for me it was passed down through family birthright a need to travel. This was known as: The Road Trip.

Mom's birthday was Feb. 2, and so it seemed was always at this time of year there was some sort of a visit in store, if not for me to get away from my life for a while, then it was she trying to escape from winter doldrums. The phone would ring, we would small talk for a few minutes then get to the real purpose for the call “I need to get away, how ‘bout you?” and I remember the thrill of either hearing or being able to say “I’M READY!” I cannot think of an instance when that wasn’t the immediate answer from either of us.

I remember an ongoing suggestion that in honor of her birthday on ground-hog's day, wouldn't it be fun to go to Punxatawny, PA and see the real Phil being lifted from his hole. And she would howl in protest that the LAST place she wanted to be was in the bitter cold of an East Coast winter! And so would begin another adventure off into Tony Hillerman Navajo country, or out to Cayucos or New Cayama on the Central Coast, or Death Valley, or any other such destination.

The excuse for going was cloaked in the need for warmth, open spaces, the therapy of change of pace and perspective, but the real purpose was for the sake of being together. Looking back, it always seemed to correspond to this dreary time of year. Man it seems cold and gray today, I think I”ll go pull out a blanket.

The difference is hot and cold

2009-02-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

What is it about a hot shower?

And I don't mean a warm shower, or a comfortable one. I mean a hot one. Stinging. Steaming. And then there's that point where once your body becomes acclimated, turning it up JUST a little more and once again the rush of pins and needles comes over you. Ahhhhh. There's nothing like it. After such a shower, you get out with your skin mottled and pink, and the heat stays with you for the short duration of drying and putting on a robe. I wonder if it's that core temperature being raised that I crave so, because there's nothing I like worse than being in a luke warm shower, or worse a cold one and then that treacherous moment of standing in the now quiet tub dripping and goosebumpy while reaching for the towel. I hate that moment.

I would WAY rather be hot than be cold. I wonder if the dislike of cold water and goosebumps is biological or psychological? Even on a hot day and the joy of a cold pool, I hate that initial shocking plunge. Why is that? I don't particularly dislike cold weather mind you, but something about cold water just gets to me.

But Hot. Now THAT's what I'm talking about. I don't think there's anything I like more than a clean bright shower, good water pressure, ample hot water, a variety of soapy things and a sharp razor. I think that's what heaven is going to be a lot like.

Wheee!

2009-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Has anybody else gotten hooked on Guitar Hero?
Actually I keep saying that, parading around my addiction like a badge of honor to anyone else who has felt it and chimes in that they "know just what you mean", and truth be told, I’m not that hooked. I just like it. I don't really play it that often, and I still struggle at the medium level, but when the notes magically flow from my hands OH how it feels, my entire body keeping beat, time slows down and I'm wrapped in the song. Faux guitar. But is it really? If I've strapped the instrument over my shoulder against my body at a slightly raised angle, using my left hand stretched around the neck, fingers working sometimes together, most often independently and in time with the insistant beat, the other hand strumming a different action but in company, isn't that playing? Or is it really just glorified video gaming as I'm so afraid it to be? Have I truly just traded in a joy stick shaped controller for a guitar shaped one and shooting bullets at appropriately timed intervals. Faux guitar indeed. You should hear me sing.

Back in the saddle

2009-02-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

I don't have a good reason for my absence. I'd love to give a great story detailing my recent lottery riches, fancy homes with large staff in exotic locals and wormholes to new dimensions. It's all true of course but it would just be an excuse. I have a lot of catching up to do. I'd really like to start at the start, I think I fell off the earth back in about October of 2007. I think it all started with the Golden Retrievers, but I haven't really allowed myself very deep introspection about that time so my spiral may have been before that or after. I don't know, I think I left the cliff notes in the worm hole. Instead of back tracking, I'd like to start with something happy now. I have a new job and some very cool new friends. Look what they did for me for my birthday a few weeks ago! I don't know if they realize what a gift they give me in their friendship long before the birthday song was sung at the restaurant. Jack and Jen, you guys rock!

Ps: did I win?

Coffee Stuff

2008-02-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

Sitting down to write I find I am looking for my cup of coffee nearby. It’s not the coffee at all that I am reaching for, but realizing that the coffee has simply become a vehicle for what I really crave. As I refill once again this morning I am pondering the flavored stuff I’m putting in it. When did I begin this addiction to the cloyingly sweet non dairy concoction? Knowing how sweet it is, why then do I pour so much in with each cup? I don’t really want to know that answer, I am quite happy just knowing it’s in there. There is anxiety in knowing I have an almost empty jug so low that there’s not enough to properly sweeten that first cup. And lo, the mornings I’ll put that anemic amount in and just make the coffee mad. The disappointment those mornings is palpable, and I’ll vow to never do THAT again. It will get marked on my shopping list as “coffee stuff”.

A delicate balance is to pour the correct combination of too much liquid nondairyartificiallyflavoredpalmoilcornsyrup and regular java until it has achieved the perfect color of beige. Drink too much and the late morning is shot with a blood sugar imbalance, miss out and rue the day. It is an early morning dance to which I have nimbly mastered the steps, using the warm cup as security blanket, so often carried with me from room to room and just as often left on a counter top still full. Ah, the need, the poetry, the love of Cinnamon Hazelnut. Or Marshmallow Cream. Or Peppermint Mocha.

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-02-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

On the heels of an “attitude” post, when I had to add in a poor-me aside, I thought I’d remind myself and the blog world that it IS about attitude, and it IS about finding things that make you happy. This picture represents a day quite recently that I felt like a queen, walked on air when in actuality I was walking in mud! I joined my friends in my jeep club on a run to the Barstow area, it was a fairly easy run as far as the jeeping goes, but it was after a heavy rain and the mud holes were the obstacles. The day was warm and still, the company was extensive and boisterous, and the occasion was my 45th birthday. Well the day was coincidently timed but I took the occasion to celebrate. Unbeknownst to me the group passed around a birthday card for all to sign, they gave me a present (Jeep logo of course) and allowed me the honor of “first to find” on 3 separate occasions of geocaching along the way. There was laughing, corned beef sandwiches, m & m’s, and mud. LOTS of mud, the kind that invites you to splash through fast and watch the fan tail coat the jeep from nose to tail, gun it while you’re half way through and coat the guy behind you.

It was a happy day indeed!

Happiness is..

2008-02-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

Happiness is not having what you want but wanting what you have

while I'm plagiarizing

2008-02-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

I came across this from Charles Swindoll, perhaps you've seen it

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes.

On the postnight of a failed business, a struggle to pay bills, and a shaky world, I am reminded that it boils down to a choice of how I feel today.

Let it go

2007-12-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes even when you think you pride yourself on having a lot of words to say, somebody says something so much better than you ever could. I hope these are words that you can start your 2008 with. I will. I do. This is thanks to David Pack and JJ Kay.

You’ve got the weight of your worries
Adding up almost faster than one heart can take
It feels like one more tear and you’ll be outa here
Your heavy heart’s going to break
You’ve gotta get yourself free
You’ve gotta listen to me
You know enough is enough
Though you feel you’re going down
you’ve got to turn it around
but it ain’t so tough

Learn to forgive
if you don’t let go then you can’t live
Let there be love
There’s a better way
If you rise above

That’s the secret of moving on
Of doing it right
The secret of moving on:
Is traveling light

Did you ever stop to think of the baggage we carry around every day
Multiplied by the weight of the words we hold back inside we just can’t say
Say that it’s too hard
You’ve come too far
After all these years
Learn to forgive
If you don’t let go
Then you can’t live

That’s the secret of moving on
Of doing it right
The secret of moving on:
Is traveling light

NASCAR memories

2007-11-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

California Speedway Sept. 2, 2007, Sharp/Aquos500

Living so close to Fontana, I was able to buy my ticket at noon, come back about four, then start my long walk to my seat through the many food booths, noticing the smells, the faces, the mist being piped in to help cool the 100+ degree late afternoon. At my seat with peanuts and a beer I have a few minutes to admire the San Bernardino mountain backdrop, the cloud cover that promises some relief, the hot sun at our backs.

The introductory laps begin. The national anthem plays and a flyover by 2 F-17s bring a collective hush then an explosion of approval. There are 3 pace laps in a tight group then the cars are let go and they spread out a little putting their foot deep into the throttle. The sound intensifies. The first time by at speed, still in a tight bunch, 40 cars go by at almost 200 mph, the engines deep and roaring. It takes a moment for all to pass, the sound is like thunder, but metallic as it is caught by our bleachers. Then they’re by and what follows is the smell of burnt high octane fuel and rubber. It takes a count of about 38 seconds for the lead rider to return from a 2 mile circuit. Now they’re a little more spread out and jockeying for position. Close together, end to end, side by side, then spread out again.

The crowd roars their approval at every pass. It’s impossible to communicate when the pack is going by. When the cars have passed people turn to their neighbors to compare thoughts.

The experience invokes your every sense, all encompassing, filling the very space you occupy. The roar in the ears, the vibration you can feel in the seats and in the air itself. The rush of wind disturbed from the speed at such close proximity. The smell of fuel and rubber. The greasiness you feel on your skin. I feel the flush of excitement from the thrill of power and speed that reddens my cheeks and speeds up my heart rate. Craning my neck, standing up to catch a glimpse of the car that goes by, was that the # on the side, the color of the car of the driver from your home town? From the left I can hear the sound approach, roar by, and depart and it feels like rolling thunder. I look to the right and can see the flame out of after burn as they go into turn one. I can hear the engine noise change in perfect unison when a yellow flag signals a subsequent slow down. I can see inside a passenger window and note the roll cage and safety gear and realize this is not just a machine, but also a person. He’s at work today and working hard at what he does.

I watch for a while, then leave before it’s over, before 85,000 other people rise and walk toward their cars. The high whine of my motorcycle ride home doesn’t dampen the memory of the deep roaring engines that still echoes in my ears.

And then there were none.

2007-10-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

My adventure with the golden retrievers is now complete, a few happy stories, a few sad ones. Lessons learned. Lessons yet understood. Without them here it’s almost as if they were never here, and yet my life will never be the same because they were. Their presence will never go away.

I want to say more and I will, it’s just as I sit here to write, I am thumbing through a photo album of mental snapshots and overcome with memories and emotions and it’s hard to write through the tears. I am happy. I am sad. I am remorseful. I am grateful. I’m a wiser. I am poorer. I am stronger. Where to start? How can I begin to tell the story when each one of these feelings is a story of itself and deserves a page, a chapter a book full of words to do it justice?

It’s hard to believe that all of this transpired in 3 months. I’ve lived a lifetime through it all. I have been forever changed. The dogs lives have too, and it’s another chapter and a half for me to decide if it was all for the better or worse. I don’t want to judge, I’m trying not to. What’s been started on my part is done. Now four families’ lives will also be forever changed. Maybe that’s why I was a party to this sequence of events, it may have farther reaching consequences than I’ll ever see or know. I’ll always hope so.

Awakening

2007-10-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Does an animal hear you ooching around in the morning in the last moments between sleep and awakening? Or is it just “that time”, the unspoken clock that you have created because it’s usually the same every morning. Whatever the trigger, there is something so endearing about being greeted by a friendly furry face when you first open your eyes. Imagine then opening your eyes to find a perfect golden haired, brown eyed mama dog, at the exact height of the bed so that chin is resting on the mattress and nose is just inches away. Beside her is puppy, too short but standing on hind legs so that large clumsy paws are up over the edge of the bed and triangle shaped nose is pointing upward trying to see. Soda, who has master privileges is already on the bed to the far side, drapes herself over by way of your neck. In a moment I’ve gone from sleep to three faces studying me from just inches away. I laugh out loud as Jack the cat joins too, jumping up and perching on my hip, leaning in like a vulture over a kill. It was a snapshot of time to take it in, then it all disintegrates into laughing, barking, mama snaking her nose closer, Soda steamrolling the rest of the way over and Jack now leaping off as only cats can do, mustering downward force equivalent to a jack hammer. I love to wake up in a good mood laughing. I love having help!

Second Best new Quote

2007-10-05T08:15:00.001-07:00

I love the view

from the JEEP seats!

Best new quote

2007-10-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

I love my new jeep, but jeeps aren't for everybody. In fact they're not for most people.

2006-11-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

There has been another addition to our little family of late, and I thought that past readers of the 'House would appreciate an update:

As you all know 2005 was a sad year as we saw the passing of H. Plant. His memory stays alive in the greening of Spring foliage, the lushness of Summer lawns, and with the dropping of fall leaves we remember his little game of drooping over the clay pot to get my sympathy and attention to his watering.

Well, imagine my surprise and joy while walking through a Lowes garden shop and seeing what could only be described as the reincarnation of HousePlant himself! In all of his green glory in a puny little thin plastic cup there he lie all drooped over and practically laying on the store shelf. It wasn't the dark color or the distinctive ribbing of his leaves, but his posture that caught my eye. I picked him up carefully, holding him up to the glare of the warehouse florescent lighting and peering deep into his soil and asked "is it YOU?". I thought I heard a small sigh. It was love, love at first sight and I proudly carried him over to where Paul was waiting with the shopping basket. "Look", I offered him up to the big man. "It's just like my old plant." "It's pathetic" was the reply. " No no, it's a game he plays! It's just that he appears to be REALLY GOOD at it!! Let's take him home!"
And so it was to be, a new member of our little family. As I gave him a drink of water, it was Paul who was mixing a miracle-gro cocktail and before the water was even finished draining out the bottom, Paul had found him a bigger pot, loaded it with new soil and was transferring our new friend. By evenings end Plant Jr. had perked up and was looking around at his new digs.

My goal in life...

2006-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Is to be the person my dog already thinks I am...

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-anonymous

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.
-M. Acklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
-Sigmund Freud

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
-Rita Rudner

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.
-Robert Benchley

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
Franklin P. Jones

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons will.
-James Thurber

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.
-unknown

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money.
-Joe Weinstein

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
-Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

Who can argue with that?

2006-05-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

Vandalization

2006-04-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sacrilege!

I am once again hooked on American Idol. Love to guess who goes, who stays. Love to watch their personalities emerge and evolve. But nobody will take the place of….

Bo.

But I am crestfallen this morning. Heartbroken. I browsed a little looking for recaps from last nites show, and there at the bottom of the page was a link to past contestants. Had to do it, just a little peek at pictures of my boy. Maybe I'll find something new. And then I find THIS, this abomination staring at me from the page. How could he do such a thing?! My image of him has been defiled!

The homage to Bo has been desecrated. The temple has been tagged, and the idolatry forever tarnished. I am deeply disappointed.

Jodie Foster

2006-04-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

The resemblance of our voices was "uncanny" to my doctor this afternoon.

Funny, huh?! I guess you needed to know the sound of my voice before hand, but what is coming out now is different. Very different. Like Jodie Foster's? That makes me almost want to keep it this way. My b/f says he likes it, he thinks it's a smokey, d-j sort of sound. I like the reference to the effort it represents. My doctor says it's reflux-pharyngitis, or "singer's voice".

At Christmas time I caught a simple little cold and it resulted in laryngitis. No big deal, I've had it before. When the cold went away, the voice stayed. It seemed to get better, then would flair up again. Mostly it was just low and raspy. The high notes went away. A month later still the same. Two months later. Three months. Four? Ok, maybe something more sinister is at work here, and only a real check up will calm the growing fears. So today I had what could only be described as a worming tube that is fed down a horses nose, throat and stomach to do a fiberoptic laryngscopy. Ok, it didn't go down ALL the way, but it may as well have. The worst part was to have to make singing sounds while it was there.

So when it was all done he proclaimed that nothing sinister was at foot. No tumors. No cancer. Isn't that funny how your head begins to get away from you when something bad begins to happen? In fact, as far as I could tell he gave me a clean bill of health except for the voice. And this was caused by: Acid reflux. How can that be? I don't even get heartburn unless I force it upon myself with pizza and extra hot wings. He said most people don't know they have it either. So the combination of acid in my pharynx plus all the projected talking I do has caused nodules to form on my larynx. Over the counter Prilosec and Dr's prescribed voice rest and I will be good as new in…… THREE MONTHS. What? Take these pills, change your diet and DON’T TALK OUTLOUD for 3 months???? How on Earth can that be accomplished when my livelihood is working in a parking lot speaking over running motors and to people in helmets??
What I'm thinking is that Jodie Foster is pretty successful sounding just the way she does….

Andy Warhol says:

2006-02-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

We all have 15 minutes of fame coming to us. But what about 15 minutes of STANDING next to fame? I wonder if that counts?!

Calvin

2006-01-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

This was a failed experiment on blogger with an animation. It's a series of 6 or 7 sequential pictures that loop to show Calvin making a yard full of snowmen, then diabolically grimacing when he's seen what he's done. It makes me laugh, I use it as a background on my PC. Unfortunately it only shows the first one. I left it up because it still makes me smile!

A Chuckle of Jokes

2006-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

A murder of crows, a crash of rhinos. Old hat. How 'bout some new ones?

An attitude of teenagers.
A brace of orthodontists.
A clutch of mechanics.
A drove of cabbies.
A flood of plumbers.
A quarrel of lawyers.

Any others?

(thanx Readers Digest)

Remembering Sid

2006-01-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, the young son spoke up, "I know why",
he said, "people are born and live a long time to learn how to love others and be nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Bo Bo Bo!

2005-12-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!

The "Real Thing" is finally a real thing!

(The cleverness comes straight from my sis at the farm! Thanks sis!)

I'm Spock!

2005-12-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Only in Norco II

2005-12-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Last nite was the first annual "Parade of Lights" Christmas parade down Norco's main street. Like Sis Magz used to say about Norco's parades (she used to live here, you know) you can always count on there being more people IN the parade than the ones lined up watching it. This one was no different, the entrants were locals who either walked, rode their horses or dressed up one of their vehicles with banners and streamers and walked the 6 blocks or so from the freeway to Nellie Weaver Hall at the far end.

So that was the premise. The reality was lots of folks passing by, some in Christmas finery, most just shined up their best riding attire and all (well most) (ok, a few) draped a pitiful few strings of battery operated lights across themselves or their tack and sang Christmas Carols, occasionally hollering out at the sidewalk to someone they knew. What could be seen from the sidelines was hilarious! Mind you, Norco is a horse town with dirt sidewalks and very few if any street lights between the long blocks. So it was very dark indeed, a perfect backdrop to this "parade of lights" where all you could see was a few floating strings of lights going by. The clip clop of hooves and jingle of sleigh bells let you know when a horse was passing, a stream of dark bodies and an occasional glint of tinsel was really all it amounted to. The occasional flash of a camera gave an instant of clarity to see, then back to darkness (darker than before while your eyes readjusted). This was topped off by a super cold Santa Ana wind storm and plenty of us regulars lined up along the horse trails drinking beer and chatting with friends and neighbors.

This could only happen in Norco. I hope they have it again next year!

A Geek with Tennis Shoes

2005-11-30T09:31:00.000-08:00

"A Wilderness Scavenger Hunt"
"Running While Playing Chess"

"Orienteering" is an obscure land navigation contest started in Scandinavia a century ago, combines hiking, trail running, Easter Egg hunting and the ability to decode lines on a topo map while on the run and dodging tree branches and ruts in the road. The objective is to navigate by map, compass and your wits to find a series of "control markers" (hidden by the event staff before a race) and make it back to the starting point before the next guy. Or before your previous best time. Or… at all.

A new sport! I'll let you know how it goes after my first meet on Dec. 11!

Sign on the dotted line

2005-11-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

WOOO HOOOOO!

It's officially official, I am now in business for myself as a half owner in So Cal Motorcycle Training in San Bernardino, California! I'll write more after the ink dries on the signed contract.

Only in Norco

2005-11-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

The town I live in is referred to as "Horse Town USA" and the census boasts an average of 3 horses for every person counted. The sidewalks are unpaved and designated as horse trails, the crosswalk buttons at lighted streets are raised high enough to push from horse back, and there is a hitching post or corral in front of most businesses including McDonalds, the grocery store and most churches as well of course in front of the local watering hole, the "Saddle Sore Saloon". Well it was yesterday late afternoon I watched as a fire truck pulled out of the new station near my house, the lights already flashing and cars beginning to pull to the right. The siren was started almost immediately. Then, almost like a choreographed dance, as the truck approached 2 horse riders the siren was extinguished, a hand was held out of the drivers seat window in a wave of acknowledgement to the riders, a wave of thanks back from the riders, the truck passed, the siren restarted and the truck zoomed by. I smiled at the bucolicy. Only in Norco.

I'm a Geek!

2005-10-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's where I've been hiding of late:
GEO-CACHING!
http://www.geocaching.com

I'm now an official techno geek, complete with a hi tech gizmo and lusting after more! Using a handheld GPS unit and plugging in coordinates found from aforementioned Geo-cache site I follow hints and directions till I find hidden treasure! Usually the booty itself isn't much, but the satisfaction of having found it, been undetected while searching for it, and replacing it surreptitiously is the reward! The size of the caches range from micro (film canister) to regular (tupperwareish) to big (ammo can or coffee can).

It's a hoot! And the more you do it, the more you find the need for a pda to download the coordinates and clues into, a laptop to wirelessly connect to find caches while on the fly, mapping software to pinpoint locations and topos, and … what else is there? I want it! I need it! For right now I'm happy just carting around a big notebook and a pen, but you just wait! It wont be long before I feel the need to wrap some tape around the nose piece of my sunglasses!

Now, if you'll excuse me I am off to go locate N 33° 52.005 W 117° 41.421!

In Memory 1998-2005

2005-09-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Funeral services will be scheduled sometime in the coming days for H. Plant, who took a turn for the worse after a long illness. He is survived by his caretaker of 7 years, Allison, as well as 2 cuttings, and several grand-cuttings.

Mr. Plant was a longstanding member of the Home and Gardens society, attending annual meetings for research to root out poisonous indoor foliage. All who knew him say he was perennially happy, and had an affinity for those of the tropical persuasion.

He leaves a legacy of habitational harmony and will be dearly missed. Donations to the American Horticultural Assn. will be received in lieu of flowers.

Undisclothed location, his wear-abouts unknown.

2005-08-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Bo Bice has been recently released from a Las Vegas hospital after rather extensive and intrusive intestinal surgery. He is resting at an undisclosed location for a lengthy rehab and R & R.
After some personal research, I have it on good authority that Bo is alive, well and recovering at the Lady Luck Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. Last spotted at the hotel pool, he was finishing his all liquid meal of blended peanut butter and banana sandwich, nacho cheese doritos and oreo and milk milk shake. He was accompanied by a small bevy of busty young cabana babes, seen flashing the Southern Cross and leading a rousing Rebel Yell with a busload of Japanese tourists. It seems Bo hasn’t quite left the building, and isn’t making any immediate plans to do so, giving his only official comment of “Git ‘er Done!”. There were also rumors that he had inquired into the real estate market values of neighboring Henderson, NV, leaving speculation that he may make the desert oasis his new stomping grounds. None of the cabana girls could be reached for comment, verifying any of this information. In fact, none of them could speak English.

A Miracle!

2005-08-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hope against hope, guess who's coming around?! H. Plant!! After some experimentation, we might have stumbled on the right combination of a new pot that drains (we almost drowned him), new soil that drains (we over mineralized him), some time under the window for fresh air but careful not to burn him in direct heat and LOTS of tlc.

Throughout the rehab he's been living on the dining room table so I've come to look at his poor wilted leaves everyday. The bouganvillas have been keeping vigil under the kitchen window and the plumarias check in periodically, wafting in their perfume as support.

Thanks for any good wishes too, they must have helped!

Are there House plants in Heaven?

2005-07-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have some news about a family member, the houseplant. You remember him? We've been through the years together, stuck by each other through thick and thin, dry or humid, sand or soil. Well, it was either the years or the hot summer but he is slowly succumbing to a demise. Remember our little game of droop-over-the-pot to indicate he was thirsty? Well, it seems he doesn't have the strength to pull himself up anymore. Today I staked him and tied a string under his leaves to prop him into a standing position. It was a pathetic attempt , a small sigh of resignation escaped from somewhere below the soil line. I've tried everything, a new pot, soil, sunshine, I even put him out front while the lawn was being sprinkled to invoke in him the will and pride of his wild ancestors. Nothing. I'm afraid that I am here to just make his last few days as comfortable and dignified as possible, and hope that I can be there to hold a leaf when he finally decides to let go and join the big mulch pit in the sky.

On a happier note, my plumarias are doing exceptionally well and I am happy to report that one of the newer ones has just unveiled flowers for the first time. True to the nursery's promise it was indeed a deep dark red flower with just a hint of yellow in the middle.

The occasion of both of these events reminds us all that the Lord Bloomith, and the Lord Wiltith away.

2005-07-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Soda with her bird.. (ok, it's a pigeon, but it tastes like pheasant!)

Remember when....

2005-07-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Please allow me the literary license to shorten the list I have stolen from Dave Goodman, to be restored to its original integrity as time permits:

10 years ago .....
Had just moved to Carson City, NV from Northern California to jump start a struggling marriage and help redirect a wayward teenage stepson.

5 years ago....
Was living with Mom when the time came for her to sell the Fullerton house and move up north to Mariposa while I moved into the Norco house and began living ALL BY MYSELF for the very first time in my life!

1 year ago...
Was feeling pretty cocky, fit & feisty, had just been on a Hawaiian cruise hobnobbing with the captain and crew, looking forward to another Hawaii visit in a couple more months. Getting used to being without Mom and Sid, having no overhead, no debts, no entanglements or ties of ANY kind, I was truly truly free. Self sufficient and salient. But kind of lonely.

Oh, and Sid Dawg House the blog was born July 15 a year ago! (Whew! Could that be possible?)

Yesterday...
Paul and I took the day off and took Soda out to a Sporting Spaniel training session (with REAL birds!), then went golfing and visiting with brother John and our Mary.

Today...
Happy Birthday, America! Will go back over to JP and Marys to BBQ hot dogs and ribs and then shoot off "safe and sane" fireworks after dark. Oooooo, aaaaaaah, oooooh!

Tomorrow...
Back to work to be self sufficient again.

When you dream....

2005-06-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

2005-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

oh my...

2005-06-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've looked at these cars for a while, admiring, lusting, envying the poor schnooks that had to drive them. Then sis reports that there's one in the driveway of our recent hotel, and while I shunned this intruder because it probably belonged to a "suspicious sort of dubious character" and furthermore an "out-of-stater" who was probably eyeballing OUR vehicle and ready to steal 'something' out of it (I'll let Magz regale you with what she keeps under her seat while traveling), I resisted the urge to go have a peek. But O! What a car.

Ahhhhh....

A Chrysler Crossfire. And to make matters worse, I've researched JUUUUst far enough to find one at our local dealer not 6 blocks away from here.

When you dream, dream big.

Technical Advice, Please

2005-06-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

Awwww, thanks sis! There have been some mighty nice things being bandied about on her blog… shux. I'm not worthy…..

Hey, on a technical note, may I get some advice? I have some digital picture questions…..

Number 1: After I take digital pix on a fairly fancy camera I can download them onto my computer. Once I've done that they seem to be erased from the camera. Is this normal? Permanent? Should I download in a different way? Should I put them back?

Question 2: Once the pics are on my computer, how do I tote them to a retail store to have them printed onto good ol' photographic prints?

Question 3: How do I separate the ALL the pics I now have (mostly still on camera, some on computer) into an organized fashion and have them put onto a CD for safe keeping? (mind you, I don't have the capability to "burn" anything on my own PC)

Question 4: Once pics are on a CD for safe keeping, can they be copied and tweaked via PhotoShop? Or must I do the tweaking before CDing?

Thank you in advance for any help that can be offered. By the way, how are the Technical Difficulties going over at the "Farm"?!

2005-06-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

ok, just one more "one more"

2005-06-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

More Bo pix? Well, ok, but only since you asked..

Number 2's Good Enough

2005-06-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh. Bo Bice. Is anyone else as disappointed by the outcome of the recent American Idol? Is anyone else willing to admit that they watched the recent American Idol? I'm sorry to say I did, I watched the early part with the ridiculous entries, I know who the top 12 were, then got caught up in the final few weeks. And close to the end there was some real talent, and I'm convinced that these young people were already solicited and signed up on labels before the end, that's why no one seemed particularly sad to be cut.

But oh…. Bo. A real breath of fresh air. And it wasn't the freshness, it was the familiar oldness to the style coming out of this boy, the sound and the look of such greats as David Clayton-Thomas, Ronnie Van Zant or John Fogerty. And oh, did I mention? He's Hot. Oh, I might have said so already.

Music News

2005-06-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

1. What is the total volume of music files on your computer?
Zero. I originally messed around with napster before it was all
over the news, does that count?

2. What is the last CD you bought?
Seal. But much like Taza, I buy as much retro replacement as
anything new.

3. What song is playing right now?
Ottmar Liebert's Surrender 2 Love, oops, now it's Santa Fe

4. Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me:
Pachelbel Canon in D (especially a CD called Elegance,
a collection of seven "distinctly different and profoundly peaceful
arrangements" of the same piece.)

Josh Grobin's entire "Closer" CD

Jon Secada's older stuff

Chris Isaac's "Wicked Game" and Heart Shaped World CD

Emerson Lake and Palmer's "C'est La Vie", ooh la la

5. To whom am I passing this, and why?
Well, by posting it on my blog I guess it is infinate. One would think so by the dire warnings about posting anything personal on a public forum, the possibility of scandel, pilfrage or personal harm by the shear numbers of people who have access. By my account (and according to my site meter) that number is actually only 1265. And some of you have been here twice.

Post Script

2005-06-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Favorite is soon to be replaced by the first recording by Bo Bice.

2005-06-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

He's HOT!

Ok, Gemmak! I want in the club!

2005-04-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else dare bare it?

2005-04-20T17:50:00.001-07:00

circa 1965-66. Magz, do you remember

April Fool!

2005-04-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Why were the troops so tired on April First?

They'd just finished a 31 day March!!

Happy Springtime, everybody!

Congrats to the new family

2005-03-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

What's this? Puppy pix on my sis' page? Are those....

Blog Dogs!

2005-03-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

I was just wondering, whilst perusing a few old friends' blogs this morning, if what I was doing was blog-slogging? When I signed on this morning did that make me a Blogger-Logger? And my sis definitely got Blog-Flogged a few weeks ago by that no-good self proclaimed art critic. Well, I've written myself into a bit of a blog-fog, I think I'll go unclog and re-log. Blog' Voyage.

2005-03-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

Heaven? No, Fresno

Happy Birthday, Hunny!

2005-03-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

The big Four Six. He wasn't crazy that I reminded him that it's really the ACCOMPLISHMENT of 46 that he's celebrating. He upped the ante by reminding me that you're in the womb for almost a year before that, so it's really more like 47. Ug. Good thing I'm still only 29.

An occasion such as this merited a multi-day trip up north to visit his until-quite-recently-estranged brother and sister in law at their B & B slash vineyard slash winery. We were greeted with warm welcome and homecoming, fed like kings, wined with their fanciest reserves, and treated to a day trip where we stopped to admire a pair of bald eagles as they fished the Kings river. The blossoms on the fruit and nut trees in the central valley bloomed in competition with the abundant wildflowers. Of my 42, er, 29 years of living here in California, I've never seen such a show. We drove home leisurely along back roads stopping at cheese factories, nut houses, another place where we bought some hot-sauce from hell and a really cool birdhouse, and the Tehachipi Loop where we admired one of the 7 marvels of the engineering world (but missed the train by about 5 minutes).

Returning from this trip brought us only to Satuday, and we still had Sunday off. So we mowed, grocery shopped, tidied up and called a few of his best buddies to come over and join us for barbeque, beers, bonfire and banter to help ring in year number 46.

So I planned to make a special birthday dinner for him to come home to tonite and asked what he wanted. His answer? Griller cheesers. God I love this man!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

2005-02-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

learning to fetch..

2005-02-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

Learning to Swim

2005-02-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hello? Testing… testing….. [whsssshhhh] is this thing on?

Ahem. Thank you all for coming such a long distance this evening. And at great expense I might add, thank you for this opportunity. The reason I have asked you all to be here is this: I would like to reintroduce you to somebody back from the beyond… please…. Please everyone…. May we have some order here? Please….quiet down folks. There have been some ugly rumors being passed around, and I would like to quell the misconceptions by saying (in the immortal words of someone else) the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Actually I'm feeling quite well, thank you! And still in love. And still have my hands full with a new pup. And a backyard full of dirt in anticipation of a new hot tub. And still working long hours in the rain. And yet more rain. And with that weeds. And yet more weeds. So really not that much has changed.
But on request, let me fill in a little more about Soda, our cracker-dog. I think I'll let some pictures tell the story:

2005-02-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

circa 3 1/2 months old

2005-02-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

circa 4 months

2005-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone, meet Paul and Soda

Ack Thpt

2005-01-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

Ha-rumph. Right when you think you're so smart, an inanimate object rears up its ugly head and wins, leaving you with high blood pressure and a headache.

Take a simple digital camera for instance. And a simple CD-rom that comes in the package. Simply plug in the USB, pop the cd in and follow directions and voila, a tidy little link to dig-world.

But NNNNNOOOOOOO, it CAN't be THAT easy. Must there ALWAYS be a hiccup in the system? Did I smack myself with a blonde stick? Could it be that I got the one and only exceptional one in 100,000 that was accidentally mailed out as an unusable bit of software? Probably not, it's probably an easy fix, it's just that I am so disgusted and frustrated that I can't work on it anymore.
And has anybody noticed how the tech support is no longer available by phone? AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHhhhh. Phbbbbt.

Stormy

2005-01-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh I've never seen so much rain. I heard a while back that this year SoCal had matched Seattle's rainfall, and since then we've had more, the mother of all storms blew through this weekend (and continuing today) and I'm sure we're WAY ahead in the race. Horse trails have become muddy rivers, local roads are all rivers. The river is, well, a river. My yard is a lake except for where the excess water runs out toward the street, and that's a river. So I dressed all in a yellow plastic rainsuit, rubber galoshes, and a tooque under my hood under my poncho and sloshed out to work in it this weekend. Yes, people are insane enough to show up to be taught to ride motorcycles in this stuff, so we're insane enough to accommodate them. There comes a point in the curriculum however where traction becomes a factor, so day two was cancelled. I swam home to bail out the garage. Sheesh. Can it get any more crazy out here? Oh yeah. In the middle of all this let's throw in an earthquake just for good measure. When I met the man of my dreams and he said he'd move heaven and earth for me, I never dreamed he had such connections.

Good luck on your side of the world! We're holding on for dear life here!

Merry New-Mas everyone!

2004-12-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

Did I hear that we're comparing Christmas Slippers? I got some too, they're fuzzy but not pink. In fact they're REAL fuzzy, the kind that Warren Miller used to make fun of on his ski films! One of them is already missing its dingle ball thanks to our Soda-Pup. Did I tell you about her? She's approximately 4 month old cross between a Springer Spaniel and the devil. Right now she's lying behind me chewing a rawhide "flip-chip", but I can just see her glancing up periodically with that look that says I-may-be-cute-now-but-just-wait-a-few-more-minutes. And she loves her daddy. Whew boy, what a daddy's girl. And hereby lies the real cuteness, seeing this bear of a man, six feet four and bullet-proof, lying on the floor turned into a writhing laughing puppy chewtoy, wearing a brown and white ball of fur around his neck like a boa.

Life is good! Hope your 2004 is winding up with lots of good memories, too!

And now for something completely different...

2004-12-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said someone may steal from it at night; so they created a night watchman, GS-4 position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning position and hired two (2) people, one person to write the instructions, GS-12 and one person to do time studies, GS-11. Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?"

So they created a Q.C. position and hired two (2) people, one GS-9 to do the studies and one GS-11 to write the reports. Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" so they created the following positions, a time keeper, GS-09, and a payroll officer, GS-11, and hired two (2) people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all these people?" So they created an administrative position and hired three (3) people, an Admin. Officer GM-13, Assistant Admin. Officer GS-12, and a Legal Secretary GS-08.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $280,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost,"

So they laid off the night watchman.

Flat on my back happy!

2004-12-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm still painfully happy. Intensely, agonizingly, severly, insufferably happy!
I know I'm being a little pithy, but, ain't Love grand? Now, I think I'll go put a heating pad on my back, I'm also kind of off my feet. Yeow. (what did you think I meant?!)

Where has the time gone?!

2004-12-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hello world! Isn't it a particularly bee-YOU-tee-ful day?

I hope all is well in blog world… say, have you all SEEN Magz' story? Oh my Gawd it's great!! She's done such a good job and unleashed SUCH a talent!! Congratulations on the win and the brave new world, Sis!!

(what do you mean that is so one-week-ago?)

I've also noticed that Thanksgiving came and went in a whirlwind and Christmas is crashing down on us. Where has the time gone? OOOooh! Yeah, I remember: I'M IN LOVE! Had I mentioned that? Oh, I guess I did. Well, WAY back then it was nothing compared to now, now I've got it BAD! No, I've got it GOOD. Oooooh, it's real good. It's of epic proportions. It's the stuff of legends. It's ..it's…..real good. Ahhh. Well, if I could think of ANYTHING else, I'd write volumes on it, but I'm a little distracted. Pardon me for now, I'm going to go daydream about the future for a little while.

NEWS FLASH

2004-11-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's my report from the front lines of my life:

I’M IN LOVE!

Unmistakably, undeniably, certainly, patently, definitely and whole heartedly.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell the world thank you for being there for my entertainment, but as of this writing I would like to officially take myself off the market of availability, reservation, composure, and sanity.

Thank you for your attention, I now return you to your regularly scheduled lives.

Giving Thanks!

2004-11-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

An early Thanksgiving wish to all: Hope yours is warm, happy, and full of love and family or friends.

That's how mine will go, I will be with friends this holiday, I made them promise it wouldn't be a sympathy invite knowing I wasn't hosting a family "do" of my own. Instead, we will join up at their vacation house in Parker AZ to celebrate by the Colorado River!

And in thinking about what this holiday is about, I have these things to be thankful for this year:

My outlook is cheerful and optimistic
I'm content with my lifestyle and my "things"
My fitness level is optimum
My strength of attitude and body allows me to approach almost anything
My work keeps me self supportive
To entertain myself I have travel, adventure, and romance
My family has been instrumental to me this year, especially sis, in coping with moms being gone
My step daughter is now happily married and moving forward
I have friends who support and include me
I also have lots of friends with horses
And friends with boats!

2004? WOW! What a ride!

TMI? Or not enough...

2004-11-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

So, after having asked EVERYONE I know about wasps, we called a pest guy to come out and give his advice and an estimate this morning. Well, as we stood under the 50 foot palm, having poked at the fronds with an extension pole, looking straight up in the air we saw nothing. Not a buzz. Not a swoop. Not even one wasp. So what's up with that? Why is it that your car will stop making "that" noise when you go to the garage, and the wasps disappear, making me look like an idiot?

In fairness to the explanation, I have come to understand that wasps go to bed in the early evening, and don't reappear until late morning or afternoon when it gets a little warmer. And so thereby lies the operative word, warmer, which it is NOT. It's been freakin' COLD here, and the bad part is that I had to work in it all day yesterday. Rain too. And it had snowed the nite before. SNOWED!

So now I'm still in a quandary, do I call a tree trimmer and make sure that the appointment is early in the day, and pretend that I don't know anything about wasps?

Home Sweet Home

2004-11-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

My yard is a shambles. After having neglected it for way more than my 9 days of travel, it went from crispy brown to knee high green. It's almost as if you can watch the weeds as they grow. My beloved Plumaria in Pots are taking a certain amount of satisfaction in joining the melee, getting in on the action by extending their inevitable leaf dropping by going all kind of sickly yellow first. Oh, how I wish I had a digital camera to show you I'm not making it up. To make the mess worse, after a deluge of rain, we had our famous Santa Ana winds blow in from the opposing direction, hot and dry. This brought a combination of mud, ruts and heavy soggy leaf piles, to instant dry, static electricity and more leaf fall. Thankfully the tumbleweeds were out of the equation, but other neighborhood debris filled the part. So now, on top of an acre of thick green weeds, there are leaves everywhere, little seed pod things coming from the awful palm tree out front, a plastic child's swimming pool, and me armed with a 6.75 horsepower mower, a 2 gallon gas can, and a pair of gloves. Oh, and lest we forget to mention the best part, while getting swooped by wasps while I mowed, I followed their flight and found that they were joining a party up inside the dead fronds of the palm tree. A BIG party. WAY up in the palm tree. So I've got a little project on my hands, kind of chicken-and-eggish about who to call first, the tree trimmer or the pest control because neither wants to come without the other.

I had the windows open to air out the house, and from inside I thought I saw the house plant peeking over the ledge, giggling.

O, to be back in Hawaii.

Did you miss me?

2004-11-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hello BlogWorld! I’m home again!
And in the immortal words of someone so wise, "Wow! What a Ride!"

Hawaii is beautiful as ever, although this time I saw why it stays so green, it's the rain, and this wasn't the it-rains-every-day kind of argument that you hear from every tourist, but a stalled out weather pattern over the islands that had no trade winds to keep it moving. So when it rained it rained buckets, and for days and nites at time. But it would break periodically and when it did we basked in Tropical sun on the beach or moseyed through botanical gardens, flea markets, the Arizona memorial, the E.R. at Kailua Hospital, or snorkeled at Hanauma Bay.

So a lot got accomplished in a relatively short amount of time but mostly it was an opportunity to visit with family, my aunt and uncle who have lived there since about 1968 and my way cool cousins and their now growing families.

And as always, I have returned with a renewed wish to make my life, my home and my yard a Tropical Paradise. Sheesh. Here we go again. I saw new Plumaria colors I'd never seen before, and Hibisci the size of trees! I saw all manner of palms, flowering vines, and things that looked like giant house plants that grew wild. And, ever my bane, I pictured every one of them carried across 2600 miles of ocean and transplanted into my dry crispy yard. I was awakened from this dream by the Agricultural inspection check at the airport. They did however allow us to wear our tuberose leis home.

Besides pictures and stories I didn't bring much home with me. No aloha shirts or thong bikinis. No chocolate covered macadamia nuts. No snow globes with the snowman melted and floating. And no coffee cups. I did manage to bring home a pretty significant head cold though. Don't you just love recirculated air on the plane?

It's good to be home!

2004-11-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Now, let's talk about what's been going on here….

Have you all been reading sis' story?! It's HOT! Wow that girl can write! I'm waiting rather impatiently for what comes next about an explanation for the weird behavior of the animals, but got just as sidetracked with the naughtiness as I think the author did!! Who's the stranger? Whew! Funnily enough I recognize some of the characters, I don't recognize the green eyed mystery man. Or do I…?

And the best part is knowing that the author doesn't know where it's going next, either!! Hahah! It's like a ride that we're ALL on! Blindfolded!

Bravo sis! More! More!

Essential Tools

2004-10-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we just need to remember what The Rules of Life really are:
You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape.
If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40.
If it moves and shouldn't, use the duct tape.

2004-10-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

2004-10-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

beFrank's latest assignment reminded me of a favorite memory: Sid and I had matching SuperMan outfits for Halloween! I can still see Sid riding with me on the passenger side of the car, front feet on the hand rest to lift his entire head out the window, his cape blowing in the breeze!

The picture is a young Alex in a Halloween wig and Sid the Super Dog in front of the old Fullerton house. It still makes me laugh!

Mountains and molehills

2004-10-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that, while it's true that I live on a LARGE piece of land, my actual abode is rather, er, humble, I think what realtors would describe as cozy. So as not to overwhelm what space I have available, I buy small containers of household products. This of course is impractical and expensive because you run out very quickly, and ounce for ounce the small stuff is made out of liquid gold. So I finally figured out that I CAN shop at Costco, the wholesale circus warehouse and store the excesses out in my garage. It is the trip back and forth outside to replace what I quickly use up that makes me understand how fast I go through these small containers. Anyway, this morning I found myself refilling my small dishwash detergent container with the super-duper-gallon-sized one. And ounce for ounce, I didn't blanch at all about the amount I mopped up and threw away. I also now understand that this isn't a particularly good product to clean up with a damp sponge. But here were a few of my uneasy thoughts while doing so: are two brands compatible with each other, can you "mix" them if the first one wasn't 100 percent gone before adding the other? And, can you safely dispense brand B out of a container that quite plainly advertises brand A without express written consent? What about if there is still trace amounts of brand A mixed in, does the product behave similarly after having been mixed, or has it been altered to a more mellowed result by keeping some of the original but adding to it, like a good Sourdough starter, or a fine port wine?

I do know that the smell of excess dishwash detergent brings back memories of backyard barbeques, when dad would concoct home-made soap bubbles with dish soap, glycerine and unbent wire hangers for us kids. Come to think of it, he used to carefully alter and age the soap then, too, for the perfect consistency and coloration and mellowness. Like a fine port wine!

The Wild West

2004-10-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I think the only good thing that can be said about Tumbleweeds is that they're easy to pull up. By natural design, they have a shallow root system that allows them to pluck themselves when they're ready to roll and deliver their bundle of bazillions of little tumbleweed spawn. That, and when they're young and tender, they're actually kind of soft, so it doesn't hurt to pull them. Unless you've waited one day too long, when they miraculously become dry, stickery and horrid.

I have learned a lot by living on a large piece of undeveloped land, number one is that "undeveloped" is actually another word for "dusty", and number two, there is nothing poetic or sentimental about tumbleweeds.

The Little Kid in me says:

2004-10-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

2004-10-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

there's hope yet! There's life beyond medicine! There's .... LEAVES!

Poor pitiful Pearl

2004-10-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

What is it about a sore throat that makes you feel like a little kid? And that stupid chronic little *coff* *coff* that doesn't really do anything, bring anything up, or scratch the itch, but is always right there, especially when you take a deep breath? Both of these things after days of it, make me feel like crawling up into somebody's lap, curling up in a fetal postion, and saying in a puny little voice "i don't feel good". Yuck. Ptew. Blechk. Make it go away. Please.

and for you aficionados out there, yes I KNOW cough is spelled wrong up there. I just can't even muster the strength to spell it out, much less have a real one. Now don't bug me. I'm feeling a little punchy. I don't feel good.

Next big adventure!

2004-10-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

I was beginning to plan out my next adventure, thinking Africa might be nice. Looked into it, found that the small day trips into the veldt were often hung up due to circumstances beyond their control:

2004-10-12T09:24:00.001-07:00

think I'll wait this one out