update

There is no internet service here at the house in Hawaii, so I am blogging on my phone...not the easiest thing in the world. The new baby is due tomorrow and seems determined not to make an early appearance. The weather has been beautiful and we've been to the hot ponds to soak and to an outstanding farmers market. I only hope the baby comes soon, it is going to kill me to leave her. I want to enjoy her as much as possible. I will try to figure out adding pics to the blog from my phone so stay tuned. Heather sends her thanks to everyone who sent gifts. Cards and baby pics to follow.

Testing 1...2...3...

This is a test of the emergency blogcast system. It has been over 2 weeks since I've been able to log on and all of sudden things seem to be working again. I'm making this a short post and we will see what happens...

Facing facts

It's very important to have the right clothing to exercise in. If you throw on an old T-shirt or sweats, it's not inspiring for your workout.

~ Cheryl Tiegs

It was time to face the cold, hard truth. I leave for Hawaii three weeks from tomorrow, and over the past two months I have lost and gained and lost and gained weight, but I am no where close to where I want to be. I know what I have to do but it involves climbing those stairs of death and engaging in the E word. I used to enjoy exercise, in fact, I loved it. No more. I wish I could get back to that place, but it just isn't working for me.

Perhaps I need to do as Cheryl Tiegs suggests and buy some cute workout clothes. I haven't bought any clothes in almost two years,(waiting until I lose weight-LOL!) and my workout clothes are probably close to 10 years old...you can hold on to them that long when you don't wear them very often. :)

I can't use the excuse that I don't have what I need to workout, the picture above is right in my own house. Nautilus, free weights, balance ball, treadmill, bands, bike, ab roller (that's Mark's and yes, he uses it) flat screen on the wall and built in stereo speakers. The only thing missing is an elliptical.

So tonight I forced myself to workout. Surely I can keep this up for the next three weeks. If not, I will take the advice that is written over the window in that room; To stay young, eat well, sleep well, exercise well, and lie about your age.

Chapter One

Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.

~ Mark Twain

I will be the first to admit that I've been missing in action. It's been almost a week since I've blogged, and I have one thing to blame it on, and it isn't Mark. I've been reading...like someone who is addicted. If you have never been part of a bookclub, you need to find one or start one of your own. My bookclub is small, much smaller than it was a couple years ago, but it is every bit as enjoyable as it was then.

The first two books we read this year were non-fiction, inspirational sorts. This month we decided on Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa Lee. This book is story of the young girls growing up in 19th century China. It is historical fiction, my favorite thing to read. I started this book Friday night and will finish it tonight, four days later. Among my favorite books are The Red Tent and The Other Boleyn Girl. If history in school had been taught using these books, I would have been a straight A student.

I am lucky to have children and stepchildren (although all of them are adults now) that like to read. I've even bought books for the new baby girl already. What a fun and inexpensive habit to nuture. I've always said that I really won't need much to keep me happy when I get older. As long as I have a library card and public transportation to get there, I can have all the books, music and movies I could possibly want. Add the free internet to that and I've got it made. Heck, if I get signed up for meals on wheels I've hit the jackpot!

So I will try to be better about blogging, especially after tonight. However, I do have another brand new book waiting on me...thanks, Kathy for mentioning The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Drive-Thru Rage

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

~ Author unknown

I have about had it with drive thru lanes at fast food restaurants. All I want in the morning is to get a large, black coffee and be on my way to work. But noooooo, there are those in this world who have to make that difficult. I happen to like the coffee at one of the better known fast food places in town, but for some god forsaken reason they had to go and make their drive thru lane something that now resembles a cornfield maze in October. I swear there are mornings when I think they need a flagger with one of the bright green vests to direct cars. What is so hard to understand about the concept of one lane splitting into two, with cars alternating turns to place their orders?

I have come to experience a new phenomenon that I have coined "drive-thru rage". There happens to be one woman who drives this goofy car with one of those goofy stickers on the back window with her kid's name on it, that I am certain is trying to push me over the edge. She drives right past everyone in line to cut her way into the outer lane,and then pretends to be totally oblivious to the fact that she drove past six other cars to weasel her way in. She does this all the time, and when it happened last I tried to be rational and figure out why she thinks she is so privileged. Perhaps she is a teacher,drops her own child- the one who's name is on the sticker- off at the high school and then has to rush to get to her own school. If this were the case, then why does she always sit and gab at the window for so long when she gets her food? On one particular day she happened to be right in front of me when I paid and I followed her out of the parking lot onto the main street. She certainly wasted no time driving away from the drive thru, maybe her schedule is tight in the mornings too. Was I being too harsh in my judgement of her? So I continued behind her for about a mile and a half, wondering which school she worked at, or maybe she worked at the hospital- that would require her to be on time, when suddenly she made a quick right turn and pulled over...into the driveway in front of her house! Are you kidding me??? Of course, she doesn't work, she had to rush home with her sugary, chocolate,fake cappuccino and sausage muffin to watch Good Morning America! Doesn't this woman know that I have to be in Sharonville to save lives and stamp out disease??? She is just lucky I have to unlock the doors to the clinic or I would have been tempted to stop.

My friend Shari says I can solve this problem by getting my coffee somewhere else...I say that would be just too easy.

Best in Show

Relaxing at home in Cincinnati.















Claiming the prize in New York.

If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.

~ Roger Caras

The Westminster Dog Show was held this past week and the picture above is the scottie who was crowned Best in Show. Her name is Sadie, but I am thinking she bears an uncanny resemblance to Shadow, the scottie shown above relaxing at his home with the Cobb family in Cincinnati. In fact, with the exception of the difference in gender, one could argue that Sadie and Shadow may be the same dog. It's hard to believe that Shadow is a rescue, he is quite handsome. Perhaps Shadow and Sadie were litter mates...we should start that rumor...

I love watching the dog show, I always root for the cocker spaniels to win, and I spend a fair amount of time protesting the fact that a cock-a-poo is not a recognized AKC breed. Of course, we haven't told McKenzie that, I don't think she would understand. I will be the first to admit that I don't have a clue how the dog show judges choose a winner. Did you ever see the movie "Best in Show"? It is hilarious, totally mindless, and if the truth be told, probably more accurate than we know. Honestly, don't you think sometimes the judge just picks their personal favorite?

So in the spirit of the Westminster dog show I am adding some pictures of my favorite dogs and their titles.


My prize winning group; McKenzie, Miss Canine Congeniality. Layla, Best of Show, plus sized dogs (aka big-boned). Chance, Best of Show, Dogs with Disabilities.


Leo, Best of The Sweetest Faces Ever (even if he is the only one on this blog who wasn't a rescue)



Maya and Marley, the big and the small of it... Best of the Aloha dogs and Santa's Helpers!

In case you haven't noticed, I've added The Daily Puppy (see right). I hope you enjoy it!

A dog is man's best friend, and woman's too.

~ Anonymous

Why me?

A healthy body is a guest chamber for the soul: a sick body is a prison.

~Francis Bacon,Sr.

I haven't had a common cold in years. And based on how I feel right now, I hope I never have another one as long as I live. I feel awful, my head feels like it is going to explode and I have zero energy. I am convinced I am currently afflicted with the worst cold anyone has ever had in the history of man.

Who came up with the term "cold" anyway? It sounds like such an innocent little name for what I would prefer to call the "viral death". My ear hurts, my face hurts, my muscles ache, I have a headache, cough and can't stop sneezing and blowing my nose. Surely no one else has suffered as much as me...

So I've stocked up on tissues, tylenol, advil, sudafed, hot tea and honey. (And quite honestly nothing is helping) I'm not much fun this weekend and I feel sorry for Mark that he is stuck with a shut-in on the weekend. I hate being sick, I have too much to do. I have a great blog coming up about the recent Westminster Dog Show and the dogs you didn't see but that will have to wait until the watery eyes subside.


Right now, I'm on a mission to find a kleenex.