i was in a bathroom stall today when i came across these six little pearls of wisdom.
such a simple and timely reminder.
for a split second my focus even shifted away from the incredibly unsanitary accommodations as i focused on taking a picture with my iphone. talk about acrobatics.
happy birthday, lola boo!
you have brought us such joy and endless laughter this past year. we love you and feel so grateful that you took our little family from two to three.
enjoy your birthday cannoli and thanks for being such a good sport – the hat was all my idea! guilty as charged.
after months of interviews, frequent trips to the ucla campus, phone calls with the recruiter and what felt like eons waiting on bated breath…i got the job.
i will officially join their external affairs department as the associate director of development – physical sciences division on august 23.
i can’t wait!
every season we attend at least one cubs/dodgers game and tonight was our first of the summer. it was such a nice evening –
first, my dodgers won.
second, i absolutely love 5:00 games.
third,there’s no place in la like dodger stadium
and finally, i can’t imagine a better way to spend a sunday than sitting between my parents and mike with a dodger dog in one hand and a bud light in the other.
add another little dude to the football team!
my girlfriend just found out the sex of their baby and sure enough, it’s a boy! we’ve been adding quite a few little men to our lives lately and i just can’t get enough of them.
it’s only when i meet someone who is so incredibly passionate about their work that i realize how many people aren’t. for most, a job is just that…a job. a way to pay the bills, a place they have to go everyday, an annoyance more than anything. that’s why it’s so exciting to sit across from someone who takes pride in their work and feels honored to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
now, that’s a person that i want to work with and a place i want to call home.
i really enjoy the anticipation of going into a meeting with a sponsor or donor i’ve never met and not knowing what to expect. will they be chatty, quiet, rude, passionate, dull, sleazy or likeable? today, i got lucky…i got a chatty, passionate and likeable person greeting me and what i thought would be a half hour visit turned into nearly two.
i love making those connections!
it’s startling to realize how far women have come in just 50 short years. back in the day we weren’t just second class citizens, we fell lower on the food chain than children. and it’s absolutely ridiculous but so incredible to see women in action today.
we own companies, run for political office, raise families and lead by example. all while getting dinner on the table every night as well. pretty cool if you ask me!
the termite guy paid us a visit today. there’s nothing like watching someone inject poison into the ground below your home to realize that you really do rule the roost.
typically, i’m not a big fan of killing living creatures but little buggies that look like maggots and feast on my home – they gotta go!
after a two year hiatus, ridiculous shoulder pain and a bout of insomnia, i’m practicing bikram again.
and i’m a happy girl.
wham bam, thank you bikram.
on my way to work today, i pulled up next to a pickup truck and i swear i was looking directly in the face of the lead singer from zz top. he even smiled back at me with that “i know you recognize me but let’s keep this secret between the two of us." look.
i realize that the odds of billy gibbons driving a beat up pick up truck down the 405 at 7:00 am are a little slim. still, the whole interaction brought a much needed early morning smile to my face.
i took my first first aid and cpr certification class today and learned all sorts of new stuff that i hope i’ll never have to use. best of all, i left with a renewed promise to myself that i would get our “disaster kit” underway immediately. i’ve been promising myself that i would take care of this task for a year now and low and behold, aside from a case of water in our garage, there is no disaster kit in our house.
now, let’s just see if this recent string of earthquakes is enough motivation for me to follow through on my pledge.
i joined a co-worker on a meeting today and it was great fun. she offered a whole new approach to our “pitch” and i love any opportunity to learn from my peers. i found myself refining my go to statements to match her energy and insure we were on the same page. and at the end of the day, i must say…our tag team approach was well received.
i can’t even begin to describe how much i love my new kindle. after a resistant approach to the relationship i must say, i’m having a full on love affair now. in fact, i spent an entire lazy sunday reading.
me, my new electronic buddy, a cup of tea and lola. and guess what? we finished the book.
all in a day’s work!
we had dinner with our good friends and their five month old baby tonight. i’m always amazed at how great some babies are in public. he sat in his car seat and sucked on his pacifier for the duration of dinner barely making a peep despite all the noise going on around him.
while it was great to catch up with them and even better to see how big my godson is getting, the best part of dinner was that it took place at 5:30 pm on a saturday. because his bedtime is at 7:00, we moved dinner up a bit and found ourselves laughing at how quickly life changes. not too long ago, we were barely getting into the shower at 5:30 to begin prepping for a saturday night out and here we were home and playing a game of chess after a “wild” night out with friends.
all by 8:00 pm.
pacts are great…when both people can hold up their end of the agreement. i entered into one today. only time shall tell if we both remember to do our part. i have faith though.
i hosted our quarterly sponsorship open house today which is really less of an open house and more of a day filled with back to back meetings for me. these are some of my favorite work days because i love talking about the alzheimer’s association and the great work we’re doing. i also love asking for money especially when the person across the table says “yes.”
good times.
i love breakfast meetings that end with thousands of dollars worth of commitments to my charity of choice. barely 9:00 am and the day is already off to a great start.
no complaints here!
i paid a visit to my beautiful friend who has taken to identifying herself as “captain cancer.” a little over a month since her surgery for colon cancer and you would never know that not too long ago she was suffering from a life threatening disease.
notice i said, “was” – that’s because after a few post-surgery diagnostic tests she was cleared with a clean bill of health! it’s a miracle, baby.
she was absolutely radiant in her sundress and wet hair straight from the shower. sure she moved a little slower than normal but slowing down a bit is good for us all. and the only sign of relaxation in the woman’s body was the slow shuffle of her legs.
meanwhile, her mind was going at a million miles per minute. already trying to figure out how she’ll use this cancer thing to her advantage – maybe by writing a raunchy and inappropriate one woman show on her experience or by producing equally inappropriate but motivating t-shirts that simply say “f*ck cancer” across the chest.
that’s my gena girl. what can i say?
our little lola is sick. she’s blowing snot rockets like it’s nobody’s business and the “reverse sneezing” as they call, has been keeping me up all night. after watching patiently for a few days i decided to take her to the vet tonight.
how pleased was i to discover that the source of her congestion is simply respiratory allergies? i was so excited to learn that she’s just a normal dog reacting to normal airborne irritants that i didn’t even have time to consider the fact that i’m a completely over-protective and neurotic pet owner.
and while i know it’s slightly evil to take advantage of her in this state, i couldn’t help but turn around and snap this photo on the way home. doesn’t she look so pathetic?
in addition to considering him completely and totally hilarious, i’m finding myself oddly attracted to russell brand lately. i know most of my friends would consider this crush as gross as my once upon a time crush on tom petty or the one on nick cage from years ago but i just consider it one of the fabulous parts of being me. aside from my husband, i have a strange tendency to crush on really strange men.
so what?
mike was bound and determined to hit the beach today. he’d been looking forward to it all week and nothing was going to stop him. not the dreary weather forecast or the gray skies looming overhead as we made our way down the hill.
while it did not end up being the most beautiful beach day ever (far from it) i truly admire his optimism and perseverance. as far as he’s concerned it’s summertime in la and if we’re going to live a mile from the ocean we’re going to take full advantage of it.
bless his heart.
i had a lunch meeting in a pretty popular shopping center in orange county today. since i got there a little early i figured i’d swing into forever 21 for a quick browse. no sooner did i walk through the door when i heard a familiar voice from five feet in front of me.
turns out i wasn’t the only one with the bright idea to kill sometime shopping around the teeny bopper store. i looked around to see my lunch date standing in front of me with a pair of denim shorts in her hand.
great minds think alike.
while i was paying for my groceries at trader joes tonight the bell from another check stand kept ringing. at the same time the cashier and i looked over to see a little boy sitting in his mother’s shopping cart and ringing the bell incessantly with a mischievous smile on his face.
rather than get annoyed, the cashier simply yelled out “more cashiers needed.” everyone started laughing because the lines were a bit long and the sign above clearly explained that one bell tells the crew to open another register. the whole store got a kick out the fact that this little boy was unknowingly taking care of business.
just one more reason to love tj’s.
i was sitting in starbucks today working on my laptop when a couple of “old timers” sat down at the table next to me. after a little while, the one closest to me, who i later learned was named greg, commented on my engagement ring.
one thing led to another and the next thing i knew i was completely engrossed in their life story. i learned that they’re armenian friends originally from jerusalem. they met in kindergarten and continued in school together through college after which they lost touch.
fifty years later and a few months ago, they ran into each other randomly on hollywood blvd. ever since they’ve been meeting at this particular starbucks every other day to remember the good old days.
there were all sorts of other nuggets of greatness in the conversation about loyalty, the beauty of good people and the tragedy of war. what struck me most though was that out of the blue, greg and harry decided to share a part of their story with a young woman typing away on her laptop.
and they actually felt compelled to apologize to me for taking up my time…well, the pleasure was all mine!
i don’t know if i could’ve handled all the rejection involved in acting but i certainly know that i love the call back! the ring followed by the recognition of familiar digits on your caller idea. the butterflies that follow because you know good news awaits on your voicemail.
ah…
i think mike and i have been to the mall together all of three times in the history of our relationship and two of those times happened when we were creating our wedding registry.
well today, i had an errand to run that took me to the mall and he wanted to take a peak at nordstrom so he joined me. alas, we found ourselves on a junior high date complete with orange julius!
the pregnancy trend has taken a hold of my girlfriends lately. amidst a walk on the beach and a cup of coffee this morning i learned that another one of my girls is having a baby!
i love being an auntie more than anything so naturally, i’m ecstatic about the news but seriously, is there something in the water or what?
i met a middle aged woman with a husband, 3-year-old son and a newly acquired business. the couple recently retired from a very profitable company they owned, at which point the wife declared she wasn’t ready to stop working. she bought a franchise in home care agency knowing nothing about the business and alas, our paths crossed.
as for the 3-year-old, he was unplanned to say the least. her husband’s cousin found himself in trouble with a lady friend, a lot of drugs and a little boy. rather than continue watching the child live with his parents mistakes, the couple adopted him!
now this is a child who was born addicted to drugs and has since suffered from all sorts of emotional issues. this is also a couple on the cusp of beginning the post hustle and bustle, twilight years of their lives with adult children of their own.
talk about taking on a challenge and making it work. while she seems exhausted, she swears that the new addition to her family is the best thing that ever happened to them.
i attended the most interesting networking breakfast this morning. i found myself sitting around a hotel banquet room surrounded by ceo’s, financial planners, lawyers and investment brokers and i was amazed at what “good” people they all are.
part of the format involved everyone standing up and giving a three minute infomercial about themselves. we had to discuss the front of our business card (name, title, company) as well as the back (family, hobbies, alma mater). what i discovered was that this group of incredibly established and well dressed individuals also give back to their communities in all sorts of ways. they support american cancer society, boy scouts, working wardrobes, gen next and red cross.
after living in such a cynical world, i cherish moments like these that are shot through with beauty and hope. and my belief that there really are more good people on the earth than evil ones, is reaffirmed yet again.
i love the familiar feeling of working somewhere long enough to walk into a room filled with industry folk and recognize half the faces staring back at you. as much as i cherish the challenge of starting new and find myself seeking out a fresh start as often as possible, i still appreciate this reminder that i’ve been somewhere long enough to establish a “reputation” for myself.
i had the most incredible meeting today. i can’t say more on the subject quite yet but let’s just say i left feeling incredibly excited at the thought of the future.
now that’s a really good day.
when i started working at fox sports net fresh out of college, my co-worker and very good friend and i had a regular breakfast date everyday. we met in the kitchen, filled our water bottles and added boiling water to our instant oatmeal packets.
one of the highlights of this daily ritual was reading the dinosaur facts on the bag of oatmeal. he’d quiz me one day. i’d quiz him the next. it was a pretty inane activity but one we both thoroughly enjoyed.
i no longer work at fox and unfortunately, my friend and i don’t eat breakfast together on a regular basis anymore but i still eat my oatmeal everyday. and i think of him every time i look down to rip that packet open.
and no, quaker oats has not changed their packaging one bit in the past 10 years! go figure.
6:30 am: wake up
7:00 am: fall back to sleep
8:00 am – 10:00 pm: repeat
after a memory walk, i can’t think of a better way to spend a sunday.
one of my favorite days at work each year is memory walk. one of my favorite parts of memory walk? our remembrance ceremony. it’s a chance for everyone to come together and remember someone they lost to alzheimer’s disease or honor someone still battling it.
i don’t know why but i’m always amazed to see those candles (or flashlights) light up in unison. seeing a group of people together in one place with nothing in common other than the fact that they’ve all been touched by this insidious disease is startling. and inspiring.
i love hamachi or more commonly called, yellowtail sushi. i love the buttery taste that melts in my mouth and i especially love eating it in the company of my husband. it just happens to be his favorite type of sushi too.
we’re so different yet so similar when it comes to the things that really matter – like ordering sushi!
i love my glasses. an object that was once a huge point of contention for me has grown into one of my most prized possessions. perhaps it’s the fact that this time around i don’t actually “need” them to see. in fact, i can get by just fine without them although they make the glare from the computer screen and the magnitude of my headaches each day much more bearable.
so, i mainly wear them when i’m clickety clacketing away at work but every once in a while when i’m feeling extra professional, i sport them at a meeting. no one else may notice but i swear they give me that, “i’m older and wiser than i look” thing.
one of my most inspiring and inspired friends stopped by for dinner tonight. as usual, we spanned the conversational spectrum touching on topics personal to us as well our shared desire to change the world. we planned, plotted, brainstormed, researched and we dreamed.
we dreamed big.
this is one of my favorite aspects about this particular friendship. we are as different as night and day in style and lifestyle choices but when it comes to leaving the world a little better than we found it, we are as similar as two peas in a pod.
i popped in the alanis morisette acoustic album on my way to work this morning and immediately flashed back to a late night many years ago. a good friend and kindred spirit and i were driving back from a long weekend at the orphanage – pre husbands and kids. we were talking incessantly about our love for alanis and how she just “understands” all of the insecurities and emotions that naturally flow through a woman’s body so well.
we got so fired up that we had to detour and find a target to buy a jagged little pill album since we didn’t have one in the car. we spent the rest of the trip singing at the top of our lungs – full on lilith fair style. it was one of those silly yet empowering moments that i really can’t explain well now. the great thing is, i texted said friend this morning and simply wrote, “acoustic alanis…thinking of you.” and she immediately knew what i was talking about.
my mama has picked up a new hobby, gardening, and she’s recently taken a class on all things succulent. i can’t decide what made me happier today, seeing how excited she is about her newly developed talent or taking home the beautiful arrangement she made special for me. i think it was the first but i can’t lie, i really love how the arrangement looks in the center of my patio table.
i took a nap in the most comfy chair today with a nearly perfect bedmate. it was facing the wall of open glass doors at my parents house overlooking the pacific ocean. the sun was shining brilliantly and a light breeze blew on my face. bella (my parents’ maltese) lazily dozed at the top of the chair near my head. at one point, i opened my eyes slightly and she was looking back at me.
and in that moment, i knew we were thinking the same thing.
heaven.
mike and i had a typical friday night “in” tonight and it was glorious. we (i) typically end up a little tipsy, dancing around the house to my favorite songs but not tonight. i recently lent my ipod to a friend and since mike’s playlists consists of more workout tunes than dance songs, we had to get creative.
so, we surfed the music channels of our directv. the themes are brilliant. everything from Be-Tween to the Boombox, Coffee House Rock and Reality Bites. as we were traveling down memory lane to our junior high years and the days of grunge, i flippantly said “i really want to hear paul simon’s ‘you can call me al’” – a favorite song of ours ever since we were awoken in the middle of the night to a car full of friends dancing in the middle of san francisco’s chestnut street three years ago.
not five minutes later i flipped the channel to Classic Hits Blend and guess what i heard…you got it! and it was the beginning of the song. is there anything better that that?
for the past month, i’ve been going to physical therapy to correct what years worth of bad posture has done to my neck and shoulders. i’m learning some really great stretches and exercises to strengthen my back but i can’t lie…my favorite part is the massage!
over the course of my weekly appointments, i’ve made friends with the guys (physical therapists and their aides). i’ve learned about their girlfriends, roommate problems and alma maters. well, i realized that we may have become better friends than i thought because my hour long appointment lasted nearly two hours tonight!
i may have noticed that the massage was longer than normal and i admit it…i didn’t say a word. instead, i just kept my mouth shut and silently encouraged them to continue talking (and massaging).
sometimes i have to drag myself to the gym and other days i find myself speeding down the freeway to get there. today was one of those days when i all i needed was the chance to sweat it out.
and damn, it felt good!
i went to my first dodger game of the season tonight. they got their tushies kicked but i had a great time nonetheless. it’s been a really long time since i’ve gone to a game with just my parents. typically, there’s always a fourth; usually mike, my sis or uncle tris. while i clearly love their company it’s fun to get my mom and dad all to myself once in a while and tonight, i soaked it in.
i have made two amazing friends at work and one of them brought a smile to my face today without even trying. she’s typically the pinnacle of calm and class; qualities we all admire in her.
but not today. today she got a little fired up.
i love that we’ve become close enough for her to trust me with the “other” side of her personality. and between you and me, while i respect the calm and class, i kind of adore the feisty side of her a lot!
i was reunited with my old city today and it felt really good. a little sad but really good nonetheless. after spending two weeks a year there growing up, five years in college across the bay and a year and a half living in the heart of the city, it’s become my home away from home.
every time i drive over the bridge a rush of memories come flooding back. childhood days spent sleeping under the desks at the sf furniture mart, extended stays at the park 55 and villa florence, dinners with my parents at the house of prime rib, sorority parties at sinbad’s, lazy afternoons with friends at sam’s….and then there’s mike.
it’ll always be our town. the place we fell in-love. the city we hope to return to someday. in the meantime, we’ll have to settle for the occasional visit.
because we get to host bachelorette parties for our friends.
seriously, many of my favorite memories originated over bachelorette weekends. the laughter, the drama, the fun, silliness, dance parties, gifts. altogether they make for an unforgettable couple of days.
it doesn’t hurt to see someone i love take center stage either especially when she’s always the first in line to celebrate everyone else. ah, how i adore this bride-to-be!
i flew up to the bay area today with two of my best friends. right before take off, one of the girls crossed herself twice and said a prayer for our safety (or so i assume). i smiled to myself because no one but my family and mike knows that minus the cross i’ve been doing the exact same thing my entire life.
every time i flew with my parents, my mom would hold our hands as the plane taxied the runway and we’d say a silent prayer to ourselves. today, mike has filled in for me and since we both prefer aisle seats, we often times find ourselves holding hands across the aisle.
it’s nice to be reminded that great minds think alike. i’m not surprised to see that someone so close to me has a similar ritual. still, in that moment i loved her even more than i already did going into the day.
i love everything about our house but one of my favorite parts is our guest room. we actually have a full bedroom with a real bed for overnight guests. even better, we have a full bathroom for them to use.
gone are the days or futons, air mattresses and a single pedestal sink for four people. now it’s just a matter of inviting people to spend the night or weekend with us more often!
after a pretty “heavy” day at work all i wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep until tomorrow. unfortunately, i had a lot to accomplish during my precious evening hours and sleep just had to wait. and i will say, being as busy as i’ve been is a good thing because it makes that moment when i fall into bed all the more decadent.
sometimes, those 10 minutes in bed before sleep takes us are my favorite moments in the day. during busy work weeks, they seem to be the one chance we have to slow down, quiet our brains and enjoy a brief moment of family time.
i went to the hospital tonight to visit a friend and found myself in the elevator with a giddy and excited family. i could instantly tell someone they love just had a baby because they were discussing the new arrival’s name, emma isabella. one woman decided she was calling her izzy and another chose emma bella.
as i walked out with a smile on my face, i thought about the strange experience of being in a hospital. emotions are so extreme. if you look around, you notice that everyone’s facial expressions are either incredibly joyful or very, very sad. it’s truly a place where life and death are happening at every moment, often times right next door to each other. i suppose we all know in the back of our heads that we’re likely to have both experiences at one point or another. maybe that’s what makes the celebrations all the more wonderful?
one of my favorite parts of my job is that i get to learn a tremendous amount about people. whether i’m interacting with families and hearing their stories or more likely, listening to current and potential sponsors discuss their passion for caring for older adults, i’m always amazed by how many good people exist in the world. unfortunately, our media focuses only on the ugly and cruel but i firmly believe, more good is being done everyday than evil and for that, i’m grateful.
we baptized my godson, grayson, this morning!
he did such a great job and only got scared when the organist was playing. in fact, he did better than the adults in our group did. i’m embarrassed to admit there were a handful of notes passed amongst us and whispers throughout our aisle. i guess it’s been a while since we’ve all been to church so were were a little out of practice.
no sooner did we have our heater repaired than our garage door broke. well, when i left this morning it worked fine and when i returned it wouldn’t open more than a foot. i’m assuming that means it’s broken?
just as i was cursing the fact that i didn’t have a landlord to call and complain to i remembered that even the most wonderful things in life – like owning your own home – come with their share of headaches. and not so long ago, we didn’t even have a garage door to break so i suppose this minor inconvenience is just that…minor.
during some casual facebook stalking, i came across a music video today. there was nothing special about this particular video other that the fact that it reminded me how much i miss mtv.
not the crap on mtv today like 16 and pregnant and date my mom but the mtv from my youth. singled out, my so called life and yo mtv raps. and the music videos…i mean those were the days.
after my nostalgia passed, i realized that one of the great things about getting older is looking back and feeling so confident that “things really were way better back then.” i mean, i kind of feel sorry for today’s you tube watching, twitter typing youth.
they don’t know what they’re missing.
after a long week and a full day traveling to and from tijuana, we needed a day of rest. we got lucky too because it was the most glorious, long lasting sunday imaginable.
and we soaked up every minute of it.
another great day at the orphanage. there were so many highlights from our most recent visit that i can’t name just one. from hopping out of bed at 5:30 am (and trust me, unless it’s an el faro day, i don’t ever “hop” out of bed) to hearing that one of the teenage boys wants to be a ceo when he grows up, it was perfection.
my most favorite moment though, was bonding with one of the girls whom i’ve struggled to get along with over the years (pictured in yellow). i don’t know why today was different but from the minute i arrived until the minute i left, she was by my side. in fact, i saw more of her all day than i did my own husband.
watching cythia grow from a tortured and immature child into a beautiful, helpful and sweet young woman has really been a joy. sure, she’s still tortured and has a horrible habit of calling herself fat and ugly. we’re still working out those kinks. but for the first time, she’s allowing a friend (me) to love and recognize everything good about her. sort of.
as far as i’m concerned, it was a win.
have you ever noticed that there’s nothing more comforting than resting your head on a loved one’s lap?
after hearing some bad news from a friend today i thought that nothing in the world short of a cure for cancer could make me feel better. falling asleep curled up next to mike on the couch didn’t fix things but it did allow me to rest my mind for a moment and for that, i’m so grateful.
ah…spring break is clearly over. even without school age children in the house, i can always tell because my commute is worse than ever. the upside of this situation…i really did appreciate the lighter traffic last week.
at least there’s that.
i’m typically a “work in silence” kind of girl but every once in a while i like to take a little pandora retreat. those are moments that i’m so grateful to have four walls and door that surround my workspace. it’s funny how easy it is to take an office for granted once you have one. it was only a few years ago that i worked in a cubicle and dreaded my lack of privacy each day and here i am with a decent size office and a wall full of windows.
i’ll have to tag this post for the next time i want to complain about working in an office park in irvine. it’s all about perspective i suppose.
baseball season is officially upon us. my favorite time of year!
even though it technically began last week, i don’t really count any games until the dodgers home opener. and, even though i didn’t have the pleasure of joining my parents at the game (damn work), i was there in spirit.
time to add am 790 back into my preset radio stations!
i went to the doctor’s today for my annual check up where i found myself killing time in the waiting room. after i checked my email, caught up on my words with friends games and perused facebook for a bit my attention transferred to the magazine rack across the room.
and what did i find there?
highlight magazine.
remember those kid’s magazines from your orthodontist’s office? they were so great and i had the best flashback when i came across the story of gufus and gallant. my mom and i used to read those together and they were always my favorite part of the magazine.
mike cooked me dinner tonight – steak, broccoli and rice pilaf. it was delish as always but the real kicker was lola’s surprise snack. she too got to partake with one of her steak shaped treats reserved for special occasions. he even went so far as to add a teaspoon of our steak drippings to the mix.
and before i get lectured on the dangers of giving a dog table scraps i will state clearly that this does not happen all the time. in fact, i think we’ve only done it once before.
and seeing her in seventh heaven is such a treat. it’s almost as great as the realization that my husband is going to make the most incredible dad. some day.
at dinner tonight i found myself feeling very “serious.” let’s just say that nights like this are not mike’s favorites. seeing me wax philosophical about everything from the value of family to the waste generated by warehouse stores do not make for a fun saturday night.
still, he was a really good sport and to my credit, i tried hard to snap out of serious mode and channel my inner goofball. we landed somewhere in the middle and left feeling very satisfied.
after my friend ashlyn died four years ago, the world got a little dimmer. still, every once in a while i see a spectacular sunrise, the kind that lights up the entire sky in an orange glow and i think of her.
today was one of those days.
ashlyn was the kind of girl who traveled through life with an internal soundtrack running through her head at all times. whether she was cruising the strand on her bike, perusing thrift stores for hidden gems like unique juice glasses or dancing her pants off at chili cook-offs, ash had a great time no matter where she was or what she was doing.
and it was infectuous.
i miss her presence in my life but i look forward to seeing her winking at me through the next awesome sunrise that catches my attention.
my day started off on the wrong foot to say the least. first of all, someone slipped our dog crack before bedtime because she was restless all night. so much so that mike finally got up and went to the guest room at about 4am. as for me, i woke up with a headache and an overall sense of irritability.
then on my way to work i passed a dead kitty in the road. i, along with a couple of other drivers, stopped to see if there was anything we could do but sadly, its time had come and i had the pleasure of the horrible image burned on my mind all morning.
throw in back to back meetings that felt “challenging” to say the least and a horrible story about an infant getting mauled by a pit bull and i was ready to crawl right back into bed.
but then it happened.
i walked into my office and there it was sitting on my chair. the most glorious thing in the world. that something that can turn any girl’s day around.
a shoe box.
i ordered a new pair of shoes online about a week ago and completely forgot about them and low and behold, they arrived at the most perfect time. shoes have a way of coming into your life right when you need them. and me, i’m a total shoe whore!
sure they didn’t erase all of the earlier incidents but they did help improve my mood for the rest of the afternoon.
thank you, new shoes.
as i pulled into the parking lot at work today, the familiar beat to madonna’s “papa don’t preach” flowed through my speakers. my mind instantly flashed back to the 4th grade version of myself – singing into a hairbrush and dancing around my bedroom.
as i sat in my parked car singing along i got to thinking about the incredible gift of memories. you’d think after working with families suffering from alzheimer’s and dementia for nearly three years, this would be a regular consideration for me. sadly, until something becomes personal it’s easy to keep it at an arm’s length.
the epiphany did me good though. i went through my day with more than my typical empathetic air about me. i actually tried to relate to the families we serve and was it an enlightening experience.
i checked in on the blog that inspired this one today.after a year and half, my friend no longer writes daily but she still updates it regularly.
reading through her latest happenings reminded me of one of the reasons i was initially inspired by her blog. since we don’t get to talk or see each other as often as i’d like, her online journal serves as my opportunity to stay caught up with her life.
and what a life it is.
mine really is quite dull by comparison. i’d make the excuse that had i been writing this when i was still single i probably would’ve had many more interesting entries. then again, she’s just a girl on the go and that has nothing to do with being coupled or single. since i’ve known her, she’s always been brainstorming some new way to bring beauty and fun into this world.
inspiring, i told ya!
after a friend shared an excerpt from a sermon with me last week, i’ve been making a conscious effort to switch my mindset from worry to prayer. so, every time i feel the urge to worry about something i have no control over (which i’ll be the first to admit, is very often) i decide to pray instead. i pray for everyone i love, i pray for a better sense of gratitude and i pray for people i’ve never met.
what i’ve discovered is that a great deal of my worry time takes place during my commute, leaving me feeling stressed and anxious when i arrive at my destination. so imagine how great it was to show up to work on a monday morning with a sense of peace flowing through my heart instead!
glorious.
mike and i hosted our first holiday today and it was perfect! brunch was delicious, the blood mary’s were spicy and the company couldn’t be beat. i was initially a little disappointed to learn that my niece and nephew wouldn’t be joining us but it all worked out just fine!
in response to our kidless holiday, we had an adults only easter egg hunt. in lieu of candy filled plastic eggs, i stuffed them with lotto tickets and in & out and starbucks gift cards. unfortunately, before i could even grab the camera to snap a few shots, the hunt was over. mike ended up with two, my dad with four and the rest went to my mom and sis.
mike said it perfectly when he noted that “those balsamo women sure are competitive!”
i’m a lucky girl, our date nights are pretty frequent. still, my favorites are always the evenings that start out like any other and evolve into the perfect date.
we were doing a little inventory of our gift cards this afternoon – yes, we do have a whole stash of gift cards piling up – and came across quite a few to the cheesecake factory. so, we decided to grab one and head over to the bar for a couple of cocktails and appetizers.
at some point, the conversation turned serious (no need for details here). all that matters is that we left feeling really good about our future.
i ventured to an unchartered part of town tonight – long beach. i’ve been there before but not often enough to feel that i really know all the hidden gems it has to offer. tonight, i sipped wine and ate delicious pasta with some girlfriends in a cute little neighborhood sandwiched between downtown and belmont shores.
as much as i regret that more of my friends don’t live in my neighborhood it really is fun to go visit them in theirs. i get to discover a new section of this crazy town that is los angeles and they get to play hostess for the night.
everybody wins!
i ran into an unexpected face in the halls of my office this morning and literally jumped up in the air with joy. she’s a sponsor, hence a client, but has also become a very good friend. i had no idea she’d be attending the training we were hosting and got such a kick out of seeing her bright smile welcome me first thing in the morning.
i have no idea if she knows that she has that kind of effect on me but suppose i should probably tell her…that’s a really nice compliment, right?
i had the pleasure of watching a friend shine this morning.
she spearheaded our volunteer appreciation breakfast and it went off without a hitch. often more of a “behind the scenes” kind of gal, it was so nice to see her with the mic in hand. her presentation was polished, her outfit superb and some of our guests even left in tears (tears of joy, mind you).
it’s moments like these when i’m reminded of how incredible the women in my life really are and it feels damn good!
i love shopping online. i regularly check in on my favorite websites, thoughtfully fill my “shopping cart” and then right before i hit, “order” i close my browser.
all the satisfaction of a shopping spree without the buyer’s remorse later.
it’s a beautiful thing.
since i refuse to watch the morning news (who needs to wake up to all that anyway?) and since i have about two hours a day to kill while i commute, i’m a big fan of am radio.
well, on my way home today i heard the most amazing story. sandwiched between reports about the two suicide bombers in russia and the latest criticisms to health care reform, was a story about a new perfume roller that smells like women’s private parts.
i swear to god.
i almost crashed my car as i laughed at the seriousness in the reporter’s voice as he explained the public backlash to this “offensively” smelling scent.
wtf?
lola took her first walk on the strand today. i know that sounds strange considering we live a mile from the beach. but, by the time she was old enough to cruise the streets winter was here and it was just too cold to head down that way. instead, we’ve spent the winter months learning our new neighborhood and making friends at the dog park.
well, now with spring in full bloom our days at the beach are back and there’s no time like the present to introduce lola to her town.
so we walked.
she was like a drunken sailor – swaggering in front of bicycles and roller bladers. it took all we had to keep her on track.
we have some practicing to do before we hit summertime but she’ll get it and before long she’ll be a natural beach bully!
i have the most beautiful girlfriends.
i watched from a distance as they all shined in their brightly colored sundresses this afternoon. whether they’re sharing hugs, laughter, a glass of wine or an empathetic ear, seeing them in action is such a pleasure. and i swear i’m not biased…they’re equally as gorgeous on the outside as they are on the inside.
i checked with mike and he confirmed!
i love rediscovering a band i haven’t listened to in ages. it’s like running into an old friend that you forgot you even missed until you see their face.
lately, that old friend of mine has been the barenaked ladies. and, because it’s been eons since i’ve played their cd, i couldn’t locate it (of course) but felt totally alright about paying $9.99 to download it on itunes. once it was properly uploaded to my ipod, i danced around the kitchen to “brian wilson” as i cooked dinner and while he’ll probably deny it later, mike even admitted to liking a few of their songs.
at the dog park today i got to talking to a woman who was sitting on the ground amidst a pack of dogs. at first, i was a little distracted by the fact that she was literally sitting in the dirt in the middle of a dog park where hundreds of dogs “take care of their business” everyday.
i mean, who does that?
as we got to talking i realized that she was a nice enough woman. still, she kept telling me that lola is very small for her age. apparently, she’s convinced that she’s a “miniature” frenchie and will never be full grown. my instinct was to get all defensive of my slow growing bully baby but then i realized two things.
1. i like her small anyway and with her potential for health problems, we’re better off if she’s slightly underweight than overweight any day.
2. what this strange woman doesn’t know is that this 18 lb. pooch was 5 lbs. when we got her as a newborn – see below. even if she never gets any bigger (which she will), she’s already so much larger to us.
so, maybe i’m closer to being ready for parenthood after all…now that i’m able to shrug off other people’s unsolicited opinions as just that – their opinions.
this blog has become a part of my life. i mean, i’m 252 entries in, one for everyday of my 31st year. clearly, i’m hopelessly devoted.
still, after a week and a half hiatus, it was hard to come back. just carving out the time to update my online journal was a task in itself. but after an encouraging email from one of my readers that simply said,
“Caught up on your blog today, I enjoy it...PS: you're lagging behind, I know vacation, get with it...”
i knew i had to make the time. as i enter my last entry for the day, i feel so good that i did and very grateful that i took brief notes during our travels to insure i didn’t miss a beat.
i came home to a surprise today. a new kindle waiting for me on the dining room table! now understand, i’ve been resisting this technology like i do most at first (it took me forever to give up my vcr). but after watching me polish off three books in a week, my environmentalist husband had enough. he’s forcing me into the digital age whether i like it or not.
as much as i’ll miss the smell of gently used books, the crease from dog eared pages and the satisfaction of turning that last page, i can’t lie. a few minutes of messing around with the kindle and i’m already hooked! gone are the late nights spent scouring my bookshelves for a book i haven’t read too recently, finding room to pack enough reading material to get me through the flight and thousands of dollars spent on overpriced books in the airport shops when i didn’t prepare properly.
next time you see me, i’ll be that cool girl casually flipping through the cyber pages of my new kindle.
because we were out of the country for daylight savings time, we’re only now catching on. i love love love how it stays light longer even though it means losing an extra hour of sleep (and mama likes her sleep)!
now that we have a dog, i love it even more because lola and i have time to visit the dog park after work. and lord knows, this puppy is the belle of the dog park. she’s friends with everyone – the bigs, the smalls and especially all of the owners.
i can’t imagine a better way to end a day!
every time we plan a trip, the discussion of our return flight comes up. beforehand we always want to maximize our time away and the thought actually crosses our mind to arrive home the night before going back to work. still, we (usually) talk some sense into ourselves and cut our trip a day short so we can have a full day back before having to actually function.
mid-vacation, i always second guess our decision but once we’re home, slowly unpacking, doing laundry and settling in, i feel so grateful that our “rational” side won this argument.
the only good part about coming home from vacation is the fact that we will be reunited with our sweet lola. despite all the fun, relaxation and restful nights without her sleeping between us, we both missed her a lot.
but according to this “sign” on the side of the water taxi building in caye caulker, she was with us the whole time.
and yes, i realize that i’m talking about my dog like she’s my child. deal with it.
my husband doesn’t relax much (he doesn’t have the same obsession for napping that i do, poor guy). so, i literally have to put him on a plane to get him to completely unplug from it all. i will say though, while it takes most folks 2-3 days to get into vacation mode, the minute that guy has a beer or bloody mary at the airport, “vacation mike” is in full effect.
seeing him sleep in, doze off, read for “pleasure” and disconnect from the internet is one of the small pleasures in my life. without a distraction in sight, he’s free to do whatever mike likes. and on vacation, mike likes to just chill!
we woke up to beautiful skies today which meant our snorkel trip was on! having snorkeled in some incredible spots in my life – mainly in hawaii - i knew the great barrier reef off the belizean coast would be cool but i had no idea what was in store for us.
we saw turtles, eels, lobsters, sting rays, schools of fish and dozens of gorgeous and exotic coral. still, the highlight of my day was swimming with the nurse sharks.
while half our boat stood in shock staring into the water at the 8 foot sharks circling the boat, mike and i grabbed our snorkel gear and dove right in. being a traditionally cautious person this decision was extremely out of the ordinary for me. i guess i just figured, you only live once right? besides, if tourists were getting eaten by sharks off the coast of belize everyday, surely we’d have heard about it back home. oh, and there’s that small fact that nurse sharks are not perceived as a threat towards humans.
i mean, if wikipedia says so…it’s got to be true.
there’s no denying it, rain on vacation kinda sucks but in a tropical climate, it’s also kinda inevitable. that’s why when we learned our long awaited snorkel adventure was canceled due to impending showers, we took it all in stride.
instead of spending the afternoon discovering underwater life forms, we spent the day cruising around the very small town of caye caulker stopping for a belikin (belizean beer) here and an order of conch ceviche there. we spent a ton of time people watching, reading and overall enjoying each other’s company.
and, instead of seeing it as a wasted day of our trip, i actually believe it was one of the best.
i swear i spend half my life on a hunt for the best hot sauce imaginable. it definitely consumes a large part of my travel experience and fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), my very “white” husband has become equally obsessed.
well, let me tell you. discovering this jar of homemade salsa made purely from habanero chilies and fondly referred to as “willy’s chili” was a highlight of our travels so far. i think as mike put it, “if it wouldn’t kill me, i’d gladly drink the entire jar.” at which point our waiter turned to me and said in a heavy kriol accent, “do you have a nice insurance policy?” we all got a chuckle out of that one.
p.s. yes, that is a fish carcas on our plate as well.
as we were driving through the belizean countryside today we passed through probably a dozen towns. still, the towns in this country are so small that if you blink you’ll miss them so we had to pay close attention to all the sights and sounds for fear we’d lose our way.
after seeing what felt like hundreds of churches, crossing a handful of rivers and passing and endless array of brightly painted homes, imagine my surprise when i saw a horse drawn buggy on the side of the road. even more shocking was the driver – a caucasian fellow dressed in traditional garb. after doing a double take, i had to remind myself that we are in belize and not pennsylvania.
i learned later that there is a huge population of mennonites in belize along with kriol, mayan, mestizo and garifuna. throw in a ton of ex pats and you’ve got the most culturally diverse country i’ve ever seen. the best part is, from everything we saw, the local people not only coexist but blend their cultures to some extent.
now, if only we can learn that fine art here in the states. imagine the possibilities.
i frequently discuss my obsession with napping and yes, i’ve heard all the arguments against wasting away an afternoon. i know it’s a sign of laziness and i completely understand that “there will be plenty of time to sleep after i die”.
still, i love me a good nap.
i rationalize this obsession with the fact that i’m constantly going nonstop. running from here to there. multitasking. overbooking. you know the drill. when i do get some “me” time, i like to drift off to la la land.
so sue me.
now that i’ve justified my favorite lazy day activity, imagine this: a river running through a belizean jungle. on the riverbank is a palapa with two hammocks hanging in it. there are no other people in sight and the only sounds come from tropical birds singing in the trees above and water flowing peacefully down river. a light breeze blows causing the leaves on the trees to ruffle ever so gently. now imagine mike and i laying quietly in those hammocks.
nap of a lifetime, i’m tellin’ ya!
have you ever noticed the gap of space where the jetway meets the airplane and the outside weather sneaks into the terminal? passing through this section can be either an extremely pleasant or very painful experience.
when that cold gust of wind blows in your face you can’t deny that you’re in a climate where no human being should be forced to function. on the other hand, when a warm breeze brushes against your skin, visions of bikinis begin to dance in your head.
that happened to me today on our connecting flight through miami. for a brief second, i could feel the sand between my toes even though i still had hours to go before i landed in my destination.
heavenly.
bags packed? check
tickets printed? check
lola on her way to grandma and grandpas? check
sunglasses, bathing suit and new book stowed in my carry on bag? check
it’s official, we’re belize bound!
i love the little trip to cvs the day before vacation. inevitably, there’s something i have to pick up – sunscreen, travel size shampoo, magazines, etc. – but i really use that as an excuse to stock up on the crap i love to buy at the pharmacy.
i mean seriously, do i need another lip gloss especially when i have a drawer full of over-priced department store brands? or how about the tinted moisturizer i read about in this month’s cosmo? is it any better than the three bottles i have stashed in my bathroom drawer?
i’ll let you know when i try it out!
i know it’s all pretty wasteful and glutinous but these shopping sprees are few and far between nowadays (instead i spend all my money at home depot and petco) so today, i don’t feel guilty buying a bunch of junk that i’ll use once and forget about!
after being busy as a bee for a week and a half, it felt really good to spend some “me” time on the couch tonight. i ignored the fact that i have about a million things to do before we leave on friday and instead, bonded with my puppy, caught up on some tivo and took care of some past due business on the computer. not a bad way to spend a wednesday.
i know i frequently discuss how much i love my girlfriends but i just can’t help it…i really do. the best are childhood friendships and how they change and evolve over time.
as i get older and time becomes more precious, it’s rare that i can spend three hours in a restaurant with someone without checking my watch once (pathetic, i know). but, it’s also refreshing to see that conversation can be that good!
and tonight, it really was!
mike had school tonight so i had the pleasure of spending some quality time with greg and ellen on their last night in town. we had a great dinner at kincaid’s but even better conversation. i love hearing stories from the early days of their marriage and especially stories about my husband before i knew him. i could listen to them over and over again!
my niece turned double digits today. it’s unbelievable…i swear, it was just yesterday that i got the call in italy that she was born.
i couldn’t help but reminisce about my most memorable childhood birthday. at 10-years-old, i got my first puppy. it was also the year that signified the path to adulthood for me. my uncle made a huge deal out of the fact that i was turning “double digits” which added to the excitement too, i’m sure.
i hope miss mikela’s birthday celebration was as memorable!
monopoly has been my favorite board game since i was a little girl. i love it…hiding my money under the board, free parking, the green and red properties, passing go – the whole shebang. the competitive side of me also loves the fact that mike has never beaten me at the game.
he just can’t keep up – i’m that good.
friday mornings are great for so many reasons. not the least of which is picking out a pair of jeans to wear to work. after four days of skirts, slacks and dresses (and god knows, i love them all) it’s fun to mix it up with a casual look.
i have my staple friday outfits – jeans, heels and a top typically considered inappropriate for work but good to go when paired with a cardigan. the outfit alone makes the weekend feel so close i can taste it!
it doesn’t get much better than coming home from a long day of work to a home cooked meal. that is unless, mike’s dad is cooking. tonight he whipped up a full surf and turf – steak, sea bass, sweet potatoes with a yummy brown sugar/butter topping and salad.
pretty impressive for a thursday night!
ah, it’s so good. and for about a half hour today, i got to soak some up!
is there any smell better for the soul? i think not!
i love secrets and every time i’m privy to one, i feel thankful that i’ve proven myself to be a trustworthy friend.
is your interest piqued yet? it should be…this is a good one.
is there anything better than buying a new bathing suit in the middle of winter?
perhaps it’s hopping on a plane with a tropical destination printed on your boarding pass.
yeah, that’s definitely better!
at dinner tonight with both sets of our parents, mike and i looked at each other and laughed. in that moment we were thinking the exact same thing – that we didn’t even need to be there.
they were chatting up a storm as usual, catching up on everything under the sun. once in a blue moon they’d actually shoot a question our way but i think it was out of courtesy more than anything.
is that a kid’s dream or what? in laws that actually get a long!
yes, we are blessed!
my sister and i took my mom to see the color purple in hollywood today and we had a great time. the show was fantastic and i didn’t know anything about the single named american idol, fantasia, beforehand but left convinced she’s a star.
we laughed and even cried a little but the highlight of the day for me was during one of the final scenes when celie was singing about her bond with her sister. despite years of separation, she was her rock and the one person she knew would always support her, fight for her and never give up on her.
i couldn’t help but reach over and put my hand my big sis’ leg. she put hers on top of mine and i knew in that moment that she was thinking the same thing. as different as we are and despite the fact that nine times out of ten we’ll make opposite choices in life, we are soul mates.
thank god for sisters.
for as long as i can remember, red has been my favorite color. as a child, every time i had a choice – in a bike, bedspread, binder for school or dress – i went with the red one. hands down.
as an adult, there are definitely colors that rival my favorite – all shades of blue, orange and green specifically – but still, whenever i see a splash of red, i’m instantly happy. what is that about favorite colors anyway?
i spoke to a group of families whose loved ones are suffering from alzheimer’s or dementia today. i have to say, these moments are by far, the highlight of my job. seeing the relief wash over their faces when i rattle of the vast array of programs and services the alzheimer’s association provides free of charge is the greatest high i can imagine. there is nothing better than watching as someone realizes that they aren’t alone, that support exists. i may not be the social worker picking up helpline calls but i still get the gratification of delivering this message. it’s so good.
while i gripe about my commute to and from oc on a regular basis, i must say, one of the best parts is that i get to have lunch with my parents from time to time. today, my dad and i had plans to go pick up a sandwich and but instead, he surprised me and brought lunch to my office. we had a really nice chat in one of our small family meeting rooms and i got to splurge with a huge platter of panda express and a blackberry soda.
delish.
i’ve been needing to pick up a few knick knacks for the house since we moved in but we’ve been a little distracted with bigger and more time sensitive projects. i know, pretty unbelievable that i haven’t found the time to shop, huh?
with greg and ellen arriving this weekend, i decided to finally hit up michaels, bed bath and beyond and a slew of other stores this week. turns out, sometimes all we need is a deadline to get us moving!
i’ve always had this strange belief that books, like people, come into our lives at just the right moment. when you come across that book by an unknown author at borders that just strikes your fancy, you should pick it up. when you’re rummaging around a used book store and find a tattered copy of some classic with notes in the margins, buy it. and, when a friend gives you a book and says, “i want you to have this.” most definitely, read it.
that happened to me today. i received one of those, “for no good reason” gifts from a colleague and can’t wait to dive into it.
mike and i have been on a never-ending hunt for mexican food that rivals the taco stands we frequent in tijuana and akumal. unfortunately, in the south bay, it’s virtually impossible to find tacos that aren’t made with flour tortillas and guacomole that doesn’t include tomatoes in the recipe.
we discovered the closest thing we could find to an authentic taco stand today and the long line of hispanic families waiting for their food, encouraged us to stop. sure enough, we were not disappointed.
the best part is, the three sets of patio furniture were full so we ended up sitting on the curb alongside pch eating lunch. it was a perfect dining experience although i don’t know how many of our friends would agree.
i met with our golf committee at lunch today and like any non-profit, it’s comprised of all volunteers. and one particular volunteer, holds a special place in my heart. he recently lost his wife to alzheimer’s disease and doesn’t even golf. he just joined the committee to keep himself distracted so he doesn’t miss her too much.
at the start of the meeting, i invited him to attend the champagne brunch we’re hosting this sunday as my guest and suggested he feel free to bring someone. he jokingly replied, “i’m not dating yet.” and then got tears in his eyes.
i did my best to lift his spirits by asking that he come as my date since mike can’t make it. he smiled and told me “he’d like that very much.”
little does he know how much i’m looking forward to his company.
i frequently refer to my niece as a mini me and in many ways, she is. we both have a keen fashion sense, obsession with shoes, competitive attitude and a lot of ambition.
so, imagine how proud i was when we talked tonight and she told me that she was online researching colleges and that she wants to go to “that number one school…i think it’s named harvard.”
clearly, i tried to push her to berkeley but she simply replied with “titi, it’s not number one.” of course i immediately directed her to the list of top “public” schools where she was pleasantly surprised to learn that indeed, her titi went to the “best” public school out there.
like i said, mini me.
oh, did i mention she’s 11?
today was my covina grandma’s funeral today. she was an incredible woman who lived to 90 years old and was often referred to as an “angel” on earth.
while at the graveside service i couldn’t help but get distracted by a little man sitting across the way. in fact, there was something about him that caught the attention of my whole family.
he’d been there since before the service started. he had a lawn chair, bag of peanuts and a brush to dust off the gravestone. the one thing he didn’t have was an umbrella.
my sister suggested that we offer him the umbrella from the back of my car so that the next time he visited he’d have something to shield him from the blazing sun. the funny thing is, when we offered it to him he opened his trunk to show us the stock of umbrellas already there. clearly, the sun bothered us a lot more than it did him.
today was a rough day. it started out with a two hour commute and didn’t stop from there. in fact, it was really challenging to conjure up today’s blog entry but low and behold, when i crawled into bed it was there.
i know it’s pretty lame but i really love my bed. it’s huge and warm and soft and the one place i can go where i can completely disengage from the events of the day.
ah...
have i mentioned how much i love three day weekends? i really really do. the extra day can make all the difference in the world!
i woke up this morning and the first thing i said to mike was, “happy vd!” he simply replied with, “wow…thanks.”
personally, i thought my joke was quite amusing.
in any case, the real point of today’s entry is to note how crazy in sync my valentine and i are this year.
the card i picked out for mike had two cute cartoon character dogs on it with big bulging eyes. inside it read, “we may not be perfect but we’re perfect for each other.”thinking this was an adorably perfect card, i didn’t really understand why mike started laughing when he opened it.
that is until, i opened mine.
sure enough, there were two goofy monkeys on the front and inside it read, yep you guessed it… “we may not be perfect, but we’re perfect for each other."
case in point.
i apologize for all of the lola blog entries this week but really, she’s been the focus of attention for a few days now. well, she went from “resting peacefully” last night to running around like a crack addict today.
the vet said she’d be 40% back to normal today but i think he underestimated the power of the bully. aside from the annoying cone around her head, you’d never know she had multiple surgeries less than 24 hours ago.
we were all prepared to spend the weekend cuddling, cooing and nursing her back to health. looks like instead we’ll be doing our best to keep her stationary for just a little while longer.
what a strong and bull-headed little frenchie we have!
lola was a trooper and now she’s home resting peacefully.
all is good in our little world.
even before we crawled into bed, i knew it was going to be a long night. lola is going in for five “procedures” tomorrow and my nurturing instincts are in full gear.
she’s getting spayed and while she’s under, the doctor’s going to pull a tooth, remove a portion of her elongated soft palate and enhance the size of her nostrils to increase her breathing capacity. all routine procedures with nothing to worry about or so i’m told.
needless to say, i’m a nervous wreck. anesthesia is dangerous for any living thing but especially so for “smashed face dogs” since they don’t breathe well to begin with. plus, i just feel so guilty sending her under the knife with no warning or preparation.
at the same time, it feels really good to love something this much. i know. i know. a dog is not the same as a child but for now, she’s the closest that mike and i have to a baby and we absolutely adore her so naturally, we’re worried.
all the while, she’s snoring away next to me without a clue what tomorrow brings. ah…to be so carefree!
we’ve had an ongoing list of home-improvement projects since we moved in eight months ago and i must say, we’ve been steadily working our way down the list. this week, we tackled the downstairs – upgrading our interior doors and changing out our molding and baseboards for thicker, nicer looking versions. for this project, we had to enlist the help of a handyman who frequently works with my dad on his properties.
since he lives in big bear, he stayed at our house for the week and tonight, we worked together to finish up the paint in our bedroom. while we worked, we chatted and i realized, you can learn an awful lot about a person by just asking a few opening questions. it’s funny how eager people are to talk about themselves when they actually have a captive audience.
