Major Spring/Summer Cleaning Ahead...

Mom and Dad coming for a visit in two weeks...so my bike riding adventure will probably take a back seat...darn it! Major projects to undertake...yard work, gazebo work, housework, painting the outdoor structure, housework (repeated on purpose), cleaning some indoor walls (why do dogs lean against walls?)....sigh...so much to do, I'm stressed. How will I get it all done and work too? Luckily I have some help for the outdoor stuff.

I hope it all comes together!

My Newest Adventure is Coming Soon..

In the 80's and into the mid 90's I was an avid bicyclist...riding about 8-10 miles daily and 20 to 30 mile rides on Saturdays or Sundays...I got myself a Trek 1400 Road bike and really enjoyed it except for my sore backside and being hunched over the bars.

Lately I've been thinking I want to ride again so I went to check out the local bike shop and test drove several bikes; comfort and mountain bikes. It felt great to ride AGAIN! I found a more comfortable ride I liked but wanted a step up. I ordered a Trek Navigator 3.0 today and discovered once I got home that it doesn't have the Grip Shift I liked...darn it. Well I'll call on Monday and if they can change the order to the bike (Navigator 2.0) with the shifter I like then awesome...if not I'll learn and settle for the Shimano EF-60 8 speed shifter that I'm clueless about. Oh well I can learn...what ticks me off is I specifically asked if it had the same shifter as the 2.0.

Meanwhile...here's a pic of the beauty I have on the way! I'm calling it a late birthday present "to myself" and a good way to get some exercise! Click on it to check it out close up! What old past time do you want to take up?

Important to think about...open up your heart...

Open up your heart and home to animals that have been abandoned in these tough economic times or really anytime. Also think about all the animals left behind simply because they've grown old...they still have a life to live and hearts of gold just as they did when they were young at heart! Please help animals that need us all to love and care for them! They deserve a long life, love and comfort!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Something to look forward to...

Fast and Furious 4 with the original cast back in action! Fast and Furious 1 was great, 2 was okay and 3 wasn't that great. I'm looking forward to the April 3rd opening of 4 with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Michelle Rodriguez back in their original roles! Looks like a thril and spill fun packed ride to me!

Fast & Furious

Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Tummy!

Awoke last night at 2 a.m. with a churning tummy and a headache and unable to sleep until about 4:30 a.m. Woke up to the alarm at 6:20 still with the same feelings going on. Made the phone call to the boss, who was nice about my request for a sick day and commented that another employee was also sick.

Tonight homemade chicken soup is simmering on the stove and the smell itself is already making me feel better. There isn't anything better or more soothing than homemade chicken noodle soup, I can hardly wait. I hope I'll feel better tomorrow so I can return to work which will make "the boss" happy! I want to make a change when it comes to being sick, I vow to enjoy and appreciate each day I feel good!

Here is what I envision, not my picture cause mine isn't done yet:
On a scary note I'm worried about the economy, heard on the news about 50,000 jobs lost today alone. I'm hoping things start to improve but I'm worried that my previous blog on the state of the economy and the redesign of the dollar bill isn't far off. But, I'm still hoping for the best in our economy and our world.

Good Weekend...good day!

First three day weekend...new schedule at work...three day weekends every other week. I'm loving it this week but I'm sure next week, not so much! Enjoyed my first Friday off lounging about, reading, surfing the net, etc.

Saturday, even better, went shopping and to see a movie with a good friend. Saw Twilight for the first time although it may not be as good as the book I'm still giving it 4 stars cause I really like the actor/actress playing Bella and Edward. I really like Alice and Charlie in the movie too. And I loved the books!

Who knows what I'll do today but either way it will be a good day cause I'm just happy to have TIME OFF! Happy weekend to you!

Back to Work Blues...

Well, three weeks off work and I'm getting the blues about going back tomorrow. Early cold mornings, nine to 10 hour days, problems to solve, meetings...blah!
The time off was nice while it lasted. Guess I'll just count my blessings. I am lucky to have a good job, good pay and a cool boss. Still I wish I had a rewind button for the time I had off!

And as my friend Cindy said yesterday on the subject: "Well, at least I won't be alone in the misery. People all over the U.S. will be grumbling, getting up early and getting back to the work grind, just like me!"

Ohhhhhhhhhh so true, so true dear Cindy!

One Book Shy of 100...Books Read in 2008

Darn...one book shy of 100...I regretfully must report that I almost made 100 books this year, which would've been a first for me. I had three weeks off and should've easily reached my goal but instead I was too tied up with Christmas preparations, a visit up to Northern California to see my family, getting a water main fixed at the house and basically no inclination to read. Well, 99 isn't a bad amount and it wasn't like I set the goal for 100; it just became my goal when I was sooooo close.

I really enjoyed the books I read this year there were only a few I didn't enjoy. I enjoyed several of the books involving animals that I read this year. Such as Marley and Me, God of Animals, The Plague Dogs, The Labrador Pact, Water for Elephants, and The Darkest Evening of the Year. I obviously enjoyed several Dean Koontz books and Greg Iles became an author that will definitely be on my reading list in 2009. Of course, I, like many got caught up in the Twilight saga but, I still haven't seen the movie. Lovely Bones was also a book I enjoyed more than I thought I would. What books did you particularly enjoy in 2008?

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year's!

Books Read in 2008

• By the Light of the Moon, Dean Koontz
• Odd Hours, Dean Koontz
• Echo Park, Michael Connelly (good book)
• Stars, Kathryn Harvey
• Don't Scream, Wendy Corsi Staub
• True Evil, Greg Iles (great thriller)
• Outer Banks, Anne River Siddons
• Deja Dead, Kathy Reichs
• O is for Outlaw, Susan Grafton
• Hearts in Atlantis, Stephen King
• Butterfly, Kathryn Harvey
• Cry No More, Linda Howard
• I Don't Know How She Does It, Allison Pearson
• Body Surfing, Anita Shreve
• The Host, Stephanie Meyer
• Tigress, Jennifer Blake
• The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
• The Opposite of Love, Julie Buxbaum
• Vanish, Tess Gerritsen
• Northern Lights, Nora Roberts
• Prior Bad Acts, Tami Hoag
• Wild Fire, Nelson DeMille
• Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Bergdorf Blondes, Plum Sykes
• Killer Dreams, Iris Johansen
• Third Degree, Greg Iles
• Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden (good read)
• The Honk and Holler Opening Soon, Billie Letts
• Where the Heart Is, Billie Letts
• Summer Sisters, Judy Blume
• Back When We Were Grown-ups, Anne Tyler
• The Beach House, James Patterson
• True Betrayals, Nora Roberts
• Brother Odd, Dean Koontz
• Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
  
• You've Been Warned, James Patterson
• Blood Test, Jonathan Kellerman (blah)
• The Quickie, James Patterson (twists & turns)
• Forever Odd, Dean Koontz
• Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz
• 74 Seaside Avenue, Debbie Macomber
• Key of Light, Nora Roberts (mediocre)
• Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer
• Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer
• New Moon, Stephenie Meyer
• Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
• Lost and Found, Jacqueline Sheenan
• Fearsome Fourteen, Janet Evanovich
• Lean Mean Thirteen, Janet Evanovich
• Twelve Sharp, Janet Evanovich
• Eleven on Top, Janet Evanovich
• Ten Big Ones, Janet Evanovich
• Sleep No More, Greg Iles
• To the Nines, Janet Evanovich
• Hard Eight, Janet Evanovich
• Seven Up, Janet Evanovich
• Hot Six, Janet Evanovich
• High Five, Janet Evanovich
• Four to Score, Janet Evanovich
• Hold Tight, Harlan Coben
• Three to Get Deadly, Janet Evanovich
• Two for the Dough, Janet Evanovich
• One for the Money, Janet Evanovich
• Life Expectancy, Dean Koontz
• Twenty Wishes, Debbie Macomber
• Gone for Good, Harlan Coben (good mystery)
• 6 Ranier Drive, Debbie Macomber
• Seize the Night, Dean Koontz
• The Good Guy, Dean Koontz (great book--thanks Janet!)
• 50 Harbor Street, Debbie Macomber
• Fear Nothing, Dean Koontz
• 44 Cranberry Point, Debbie Macomber
• The Husband, Dean Koontz
• The Labrador Pact, Matt Haig (hated the ending!)
• Beginner's Greek, James Collins
• No! I Don't Want to Join a Bookclub!, Virginia Ironside (humorous)
• The Secret of Lost Things, Sheridan Hay (didn't like it)
• Change of Heart, Jodi Piccoult
• God of Animals, Aryn Kyle
• One Door Away from Heaven, Dean Koontz
• The Plague Dogs, Richard Adams
• The Breathtaker, Alice Blanchard
• The Finishing School, Michele Martinez
• Velocity, Dean Koontz
• 311 Pelican Road, Debbie Macomber
• Good Grief, Lolly Winston
• Obedience, Will Lavendar
• The Darkest Evening of the Year, Dean Koontz
• 204 Rosewood Lane, Debbie Macomber
• Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Piccoult
• 16 Lighthouse Road, Debbie Macomber
• Back on Blossom Street, Debbie Macomber
• Marley and Me, John Grogan
  
• 18 Seconds, James Collins
• A Good Yarn, Debbie Macomber
• Walking in Circles, Before Lying Down, Merrill Markoe
  
• The Daring Book for Girls, Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz
• Pigs in Heaven, Barbara Kingsolver
• Wouldn't Trade Nothing for My Journey Now, Maya Angelou

Only in L.A....Hunky St. Nick at Beverly Center

Only in Los Angeles can one go and sit on "hunky" Santa's lap and share your Christmas wishes or ask for fitness and nutrition tips! Huh? Regardless of how crazy it may seem, I must say the picture of hunky Santa clearly caught my eye enough to read the story. Actually I wasn't as interested in the story as I was in seeing if there were anymore pictures...ha ha ha or should I say HO HO HO!

Here's the link to the story: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28202674/?gt1=43001
Here's a link to a video of the show they put on throughout the day: http://www.beverlycenter.com/

I'm posting the picture in case like me, you're interested in what a hunky Santa actually looks like! Like they say, "A picture is worth 1000 words."

Snow Day Photos

If any of you are familiar with California, you know it doesn't snow in the high deserts very often. This is the second time I've seen snow here since I've been here. I've been here 16 years. Before 12/17/08, the last time I saw snow here was in the late 90's. Here are some pics from my snow day this week.

Just the beginning...

My dogs grew up in Bakersfield, CA before coming here and this is probably their first experience with snow. Karina, the silver girl is somewhat of a DIVA and I couldn't get her to go out at first but once she got out in it her roots came back to her and I could barely get her to come back in. Young Jesse, Karina's daughter loved it!

Wow, this wasn't here before!



















Mom, wanna play? --------------------------^^^^^^












































Jack enjoyed himself, too!
<<<<<------- My friend and neighbor, Cindy.














Unfortunately, I didn't learn how to use zoom on my camera until later that night. Live and learn..that's my motto. However, if you click on the pics in this blog you can see them in a larger format.

Update on Vacation Plans (see 12/12/08 blog)

Well, here's the update:

1-4 Accomplished
5. Christmas shopping completed early...ha, ha not even!
6. Missed my Christmas lunch on Wednesday, due to snow...darn it!
9. Didn't call the chimney sweep but still lit a fire on Wednesday night. Good thing I didn't cause I had to call a tree service Thursday due to tree damage in my front yard (due to storm). And the unexpected bill was anything but CHEAP!
10. Snow on Monday? Try Wednesday and so much Wednesday and Thursday I didn't get much done at all.
11. Housework? Ha...not even! On days off from work who really WANTS to do housework?
13. Canceled due to snow.
14-15 Accomplished.

Bottom line: Native California girls are pretty useless when it snows in California. I'm glad I don't live in the North or Utah or someplace where it snows cause I'd be out of a job and pretty much not get anything done. Oh yeah and I had to cancel my haircut appointment on Thursday. Wednesday was great cause of the freshly falling snow, I took a lot of pictures and hung out with neighbors but the aftermath of snow...isn't a whole lot of fun.

Side story regarding number 9. When I went to pay an exorbitant amount to the tree guys (they came during my lunch, doesn't that always happen?), I pushed in my chair with a sigh, and set my 1/2 eaten Avocado cheeseburger and fries away from the edge of the table. After inspecting the work and paying the guys I came back in to finish my lunch. Suddenly I realized the empty burger and fry wrappings on the floor. My two huskies were out of sight...but when I did find them? Well all I can say is: "Have you ever seen a husky SMILE?"

P.S. MOMMA (THAT'S ME) WASN'T HAPPY! They've never done this before...its okay I LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES.