So, I have a few complaints.

Me, Complain? Well, maybe not complaints but there are 2 things that are really bugging me. So, maybe if I jump up on my soap box it will make me feel better.

The first thing is people who insist on watering their grass during a drought. Now, I am not talking about people who have a new house and need to water their new lawn. I mean the people who insist on having a green looking lawn. Here is the deal. WE ARE IN A SERIOUS DROUGHT! If you don't believe me or the news, just drive on highway 98 and check out Falls Lake-Raleigh's water source. It is scary just how low it is. There is a section that is just all grass and mud. IT USED TO BE WATER. I am a homeowner and I understand that your lawn is part of the curb appeal. An investment in your property. But I think having water to drink, cook with and take a shower is more important. I don't know maybe it is just me.

The second thing is the whole Michael Vick situation. There are people out there who are outraged that he just might never play football again. All over a bunch of animals. Who cares what he did to the dogs when their are humans suffering. They are just picking on him because he is rich and people are jealous. I mean it isn't like he committed a crime. YES HE DID!!..ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME?!? Now, first let me say that I do think we need to concentrate on the human suffering in this country, but not in lieu of animal suffering. WE need to concentrate on suffering, period. There is a great quote by Gandhi that says the greatness of a country can be judged by how it treats it animals. If we aren't kind to animals why would we be kind to our fellow man? Dog fighting is disgusting. No matter how you feel about dogs or animals, what they do is just wrong. Have any of these people saying it is just a dog, seen a pit that has been used for fighting? Well I have and it is one of the saddest things I have seen. Michael Vick admitted to killing his pits that didn't fight well by wetting them down and electrocuting them as well as strangulation. I mean how do you do that to a living thing? Disgusting. Dog fighting is cruel, disgusting and not a sport. Why would you want to watch that? I heard a great guy on NPR today and he said I am a black man and I love my dog. He said people are saying that dog fighting is a black thing and he did not agree. And I don't agree that it is a "black thing" either. It isn't something that only black people do. It is something that humans do. It is a human thing and it has to stop. And I don't give a crap about how great a football player he was/is. He committed a crime. He admits to it. And now he will have to pay the price for that crime. And everyone who commits a crime, whether against humans or animals should pay for their crime. They shouldn't get a break because they are rich or famous or white or black or green. Everyone has a right to fair trial and I hope that Mr. Vick gets one if it goes that far. Because when he does get his punishment, I don't want anyone to say he got railroaded.

Ok, so now I can move on. And give my 3 rescue dogs a great big hug, an extra treat and more space on my bed.

Dancing with the Stars

Yep, it is that time of year again. Time for Dancing with the Stars. I LOVE THIS SHOW! For so many reasons. Seeing these "stars" learning how to dance is just a hoot. I say "stars" because I have only heard of a few of them. The costumes are simply amazing and I love the voting aspect.

What annoys me about the show is the music. The singers sing these weird songs to ballroom dance to. For instance, someone just Cha Cha Cha-ed to the Pussycat Dolls. WHAT? You don;t Cha Cha to the Pussycat Dolls. The second thing that annoys me are the people who make fun of the people who have not done so well. Ballroom dancing is HARD. How do I know? I took 2 semesters in college and performed the Tango at a dance show. Yes, my parents drove to Greensboro to watch me(bless them) and no, I can't still do a good Tango. Now a Polka yes. The swing absolutely. I might even be able to pull off a waltz. But that is about it. These dances are hard. To learn these complicated steps in such a short period of time is tough. And most of these stars have day jobs. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that ballroom dancing is brain surgery but what I am saying is give them a break.

So on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8-9:30 call me during commercials! haha..no seriously. HAHa!

Fred Weasley

Well, I finally got a picture of Fred. How cute is he? He is such a sweet cat. I love the wink. Something must have happened to his eye because it is always winking. He must have had a hard life. I hope that I am making it better for him.
I love you Fred Weasley!

Today's Random Thoughts

Fall is finally here in NC...at least for now! I will enjoy it while we have it.

I am tired of mowing the grass.

My Weight Watchers total so far is 10.2 lbs! Yeah!!

I am adicted to the show Surviorman on Discovery Channel. Les you rock!

Man am I tired. But I have to go pet sit before I go to bed.

Veggie Burgers baked in the oven are actually very good. Well with cheese and a potato roll!

My hair cut is still fab! It makes me feel good about myself. That is a BIG accomplishment!

I feel really bad for my dad. He is a contractor at a computer company and they told him that they may not be allowed to renew his contract. My dad is a hard worker and he is good at what he does. I just feel bad for him. I just hope they do renew it in January.

My 20th class reunion is next year. Holy crap! Where did the time go?
Those were the days. Where you couldn't wait to be grown up. And sometimes I wish I could go back. Knowing what I know now of course!

There are 98 days until Christmas!

I will leave you with that thought.

Sick

So, now I really am sick. I went to the doctor yesterday and he informed me that I have a sinus infection. So I am on antibiotics for 10 days. The problem is, now I am sick from the antibiotics! So, on top of feeling terrible I feel even worse. So, I am doing and experiment. I took my meds this a.m. If I get sick again, I am not going to work. I really don't like calling in sick. It makes mefeel bad. I worry about all the work that I should be doing. But, I can't go to work like this. I am way too far from the bathroom. I just feel guilty and then I feel bad for feeling guilty becasue I really am sick! Wish me luck!

Cookie Monster and I say TGIF!

Seriously. If I had to work one more day I think I would have to call in sick, and I never do that. I have been trying to think of something to write all week. The thing is, I have no inspiration. I am tired and sad. My gramma is really sick and in the hospital, one of my best friends has extremely ill pets and I am crabby. Maybe because it is the end of the summer and I am tired of being hot, I am tired of being in this terrible drought, I am tired of brown grass, I am tired of mean, annoying,and nosy people at work. I AM JUST PLAIN TIRED OF EVERYTHING. And to top it off I had a minor anxiety attack thing morning. So, to try and boost the ole' morale, I am going to write about happy things!

NO work for 2 whole days!

Cookie Monster ROCKS!

I have a new hair cut and I LOVE IT! Very sassy!

My total weight loss is 9.2 pounds. Whee!

When I went to leave my parents house the other night, my 2 year old niece followed me to the door shouting, "bye Mimi, (I said "I love you" and she says..) love you, bye Auntie Mimi, bye Mimi, I go outside, BYE MIMI!!! How cute is that?

I am thinking of starting my own business in the next 2 years. Go me!

I get to go back to sleep tomorrow after I give the dogs their meds.

I am half way through re-reading all the Harry Potter books.

I am driving the dogs crazy by singing while listening to my MP3 player. They hate when I sing. Boy I must really stink! That is ok. It doesn't stop me. "Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo..." Go Abba!

I got a new CD at Target called "80's Mixed Tape". How many of you had the infamous "mixed tape"? I had about 50 of them! Loved the mixed tape.

It is late enough for me to go to sleep. Yeah me!

Cookie Monster, the dogs and I wish all of you lots of things to be happy about!

Random thoughts for August 30.

I am ready for summer to be OVER. I am tired of being HOT.

I start week 4 of Weight Watchers tomorrow. Actually, I am doing pretty good. I have lost 6.6 pounds so far. Although I wish I were losing it faster, I realize that it won't happen any quicker. I mean I didn't put all the weight on over night, so it certainly isn't going to fall off of me because I eat a salad every night!

I want to take a nap.

Is it Friday yet?

Grocery store tonight or tomorrow?

I feel uninspired.

My dogs are so cute!

I am hungry and I forgot my lunch.

oh! I think I have popcorn!

Rub a dub dub-2 pups in the tub!

Well, it was bath time for Otto and Bunnie this weekend. Why you ask? Well let me tell you the story.

Saturday was VERY hot-at least 100 degrees so I was very watchful of the dogs going outside. I was checking on them and noticed Otto laying on his side in the yard. This is not normal behavior so I dashed outside to see if he was ok. By the time I got close I noticed he was rolling on the grass so I thought maybe he had an itch. Upon closer inspection, I realized he was rolling ON a dead mole. GROSS! He smelled, well disgusting and I had no idea how I was going to get the smell out. “Dead” is very difficult to get rid of. A few weeks ago I had bought some new dog shampoo. It is Buddy Wash by Cloudstar. I was not sure if this was going to work or not but it was all I had so I had to go with it. I am happy to say that it worked GREAT! No more “dead” smell and it rinsed out easily! I highly recommend it!
You can find it at: https://www9.mailordercentral.com/cloudstar/products.asp?dept=15

I felt slightly bad because they hate baths, but I hate dead smell more!

I seem to have neglected my blog while counting points. Here are my random thoughts for today:

It is funny. I never really thought about food until Weight Watchers. What do I mean by that? Well, before I would just eat. I didn’t think about what or when or if I was hungry. If something popped in to my mind that I wanted to eat well I just ate it. Now I think about “How many points is that” and “How many points do I have left today” and even “Is it worth that many points”? Tomorrow is another weigh in. Hopefully I will add to the 3.2 lbs that I lost last week!

It has been hot here. I mean like HELL hot. I hate hot. Well I like hot French Fries and pizza. Not hot weather. Not 103 degree weather like yesterday. Nothing good can come from 103 degrees.

My dogs are the cutest dogs EVER! Well to me anyway.

My friend has to have her wisdom teeth out. I am glad mine have already been removed.

I am such a nerd for lists. I have lists for everything. I actually made a Master Grocery List. How completely nerdy is that?! Well at least it isn’t laminated…not yet!

Flies are gross.

So are slugs.

The end-for now!

Please Welcome Fred Weasley and other random ramblings

Well, "we" have a new cat. He is a grey tabby. I have some funny pictures of him but have not gotten them off my camera yet, so when I do I will post them. He is another little guy that just showed up hungry and kind of beat up. He has been at the house for a while so I finally broke down, scraped up some money and took him to the vet. I ended up spending $88 which I really didn't have but I did find out that he was a neutered male, about 3-4 years old, and has a notch out of his ear because at one time he was feral. He also got a rabies shot, treated for ear mites and a distemper shot. Unfortuantely, Flounder HATES him. Everytime Flounder passes him he hisses. I try and spend time with both of them so no one is jealous but I guess I am not doing a good job. I really didn't want another cat but he is such a sweetie and I wanted to make sure that at least he was well fed and vaccinated. It is the best I could do. Oh, I named him Fred Weasley as a tribute to a character in the Harry Potter books. He is a pretty cute guy.

Tomorrow is my first weigh in at Weight Watchers and if I don;t do well I am going to be sad. I have not had a Mountain Dew for a week and I have the caffine headache to prove it, so I had better have lost some weight or I am going right out for a big Mountain Dew and french fries with a side of Dairy Queen! :-)

On a serious note, I am feeling a bit down in the dumps lately. Not sure what is bringing that on except that it does happen every now and again regardless of my meds. I just feel like crying all the time and I have to concentrate on not crying. I know it just happens to me sometimes, so I just work through it, but it is a challenge. I don't tell anyone anymore (oh gee except I just told the 3 people who read this!) because I feel a bit ridiculous. Oh well. I think I am over the big hill and on the down side.

Songs on my MP3 player while writing this blog: 3 Is A Magic Number, Slip Slidin'Away, Ashes By Now, High Enough, Different Corner, You Are The Everything and Hey Jack Kerouak. Who sings High Enough you ask? Damn Yankees! :-)

How many points is that?

Well, I joined Weight Watchers (again) today. The last time I joined was in 2003. I did pretty well losing almost 40lbs but I ended up quitting in 2004. Oh and yes put all 40 pounds BACK on. Why you ask? Did it become too hard? Was I tired of going to meetings? Was I bored? Nope. None of those. It got too hard to count points and worry about what I was eating when I was dealing with my ex-husband deciding to leave me for someone he met while playing a fantasy role playing on the internet. Oh, and I was jobless having just been laid off. Can you say “good times”? Yep. Real great. I am finally to the point now where I can look back and not want to crawl into bed and never come out, but I digress. This is about Weight Watchers!

I am not sure what has spurred me to do this now. Well, except that every time I go to buy something to wear I have to get a bigger size and this concerns me. I mean let’s face it. I am fat. Trust me, I don’t overlook that fact. And really losing weight is more about me being healthy than looking good. I am pretty comfortable with myself...NOW! That was not always the case. But I feel ready this time. And to celebrate, I am having dinner at Bojangles. Yep, bring on the chicken tenders, sauce, fries, biscuit and ice tea. It will be a long time before those items cross my lips again. See, I can’t just have a little taste and be satisfied. Which is odd because there are some foods that I can. Like M&M’s. I think you can have 10 M&M’s for 2 points or something like that. Well, I can eat 10 M&M’s and be satisfied but I can not eat 2 French fries and be ok. I HAVE TO EAT THEM ALL! So, I have to cut them out and tell myself I can eat them once a month or something. I have to set limits.

Well, wish me luck. Now it is off to the grocery store with my POINTS calculator for things like grapes, reduced fat cheese and wheat bread. Yeah for me!

How are people this creative?

I am finally done!

So, I finally finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I was so sad when it was over. No more Harry Potter. I am not sure what it was about the books that I loved so much. The magic? The way JK Rowling described everything so when the movies came out you exclaimed “I knew that is what it looked like!” Or maybe it was the loyalty and friendship threads that were woven in every book. My favorite character was always Sirius Black. Of course he didn’t show up until the third book and then promptly died at the end of the 5th one but I loved his character. I also liked Hagrid because I could see a tiny glimmer of myself in him-his love of all creatures even if they weren’t all that cute and cuddle (Sorry Hagrid, I can’t agree with you on Aragog. Yuck!) Dumbledore who was so incredibly funny. And Snape. I always thought he got a bad rap up – well until the 6th book where I really could not believe he was so evil-but in the 7th book we really know what happened and it made me love him. I think I always liked Snape because of the movies, I so love Alan Rickman!

Well, if you haven’t read the last Harry Potter book, you should. It is the best out of the 7. I am listening to it on CD right now during my commute. A great way to spend 45 minutes!

Funny AND cute!

If you watch Ugly Betty or the Simpson's you get this! I thought it was hysterical!

Definition of Jazz Hands by Wikipedia:
Jazz hands is a common gesture often used in theatre and dance. To perform Jazz hands, one's hands are opened with palms facing forward and the fingers are splayed.

The position of the arms can vary. Forearms are usually extended upward, or the forearms may extend forward with the elbows held close to the body, or forearms may extend to the sides or downward.

Note: The hands may then be shaken slightly, as if holding a tambourine. However, this is not a necessary part of the Jazz Hands action.

There is no free time when a Harry Potter book comes out!

Well, I am going to try and be better about posting…I know the 3 people who read this will appreciate that! :-)

But it will have to wait as I am in the mist of reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I am taking forever to read this book. I want to savor every last word because there won’t be another one. At least that is what they are saying. I don’t know how J. K. Rowling could not write another book about Harry, Ron and Hermione. I won’t write anything about the parts I have read, I certainly don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But this book is so different than the rest. So far I have not come across anything funny or light hearted. It is all very serious and sad. But I guess that is what you would expect during a time of war in the wizarding world! So, when I am finished I promise to write other interesting things (am I ever interesting?). Until then, this will have to do!

The Post Office No One Ever Hears About!

I received the following email today from someone that volunteers with the rescue group that I belong to. This story is true, I even checked Snopes! This is the kind of thing that restores my faith in humanity, and some days that is a LARGE task. I hope it is ok to reprint this on my blog. I am not sure how copyright laws apply to this type of thing but oh well.

Warning, this may bring tears.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4
year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed
Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. She dictated and I wrote:

Dear God,
Will you please take special care of our dog,
Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very
much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her. She liked to play with balls and swim before she got sick. I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her. Love, Meredith Claire P.S. Mommy wrote the words after I told them to her.

We put that in an envelope with two pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God in Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith stuck some stamps on the front (because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven) and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office. For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith took it in and opened it Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers, "When a Pet Dies". Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked Return to Sender: Insufficient address). On the opposite page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words "For Meredith" We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:

Dear Meredith,
I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me--just like she stays in your heart--young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets!-- so I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember Abbey. One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps. Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. What a wonderful mother you have! I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am in heaven but wherever there is love, I am there also. Love, God and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words.

As a parent and a pet lover, this is one of the kindest things that I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is some very kind soul working in the dead letter office. Just wanted to share this act of compassion.

I have a problem.

I think I need a support group. Everyone who knows me well knows that I have one very serious addiction. I am addicted to bags. Purses, totes, wallets and the like. I can’t have enough. We are not talking expensive designer bags. More like the cute tote I bought this weekend at Target. It is a lovely shade of blue burlap like material (but much softer) with purple and brown ribbon handles. SO CUTE! It was $14.99 and I just had to have it. When I got home I immediately switched out my Planet Dog one that I had been carrying. I like to carry a bigger bag. That way ALL of my stuff fits in it. What kind of stuff you might ask? Here is a list of what is in there now:

Wallet
Checkbook
2 pairs of sunglasses
Phone
Asthma inhaler
Small Notebook
Lip balm
Business card holder
Gift card holder
Small wallet sized photo album
Change Purse
All kinds of receipts, paint chips, pens, postage stamps etc
Keys
A bag of fruit snacks
Rosary

I have smaller purses but I tend to not use them. I like bag that I can throw everything in to and go. I want to make sure a book can fit in there in case I get stuck somewhere I can read. I like to have a snack in there. I mean you never know when you will be stranded in traffic and a ride that takes 35 minutes takes almost 10 hours. (Yes, it really did take me 10 hours to get home from work.) I just like to be prepared.

Hmm…I wonder when the bag with the Victorian dogs on it that I ordered from Orvis will arrive… Purse Lovers Anonymous here I come!

More of my favorite things!

1. Snickers Marathon Energy Bars. These things are so good! Better for you than a candy bar, but not low in calories by any means. Doesn’t matter they are delicious! And they really do have some things in them. Lots of protein.
2. The book “Bitter is the New Black” by Jen Lancaster. This book is so funny. I mean I laughed out loud. Otto looked at me like I was nuts. Her second book is Bright Lights, Big Ass”. How can you not love it?
3. My new Isaac Mizrahi loafers that I bought on clearance at Target. I have not worn them yet as I am “saving” them for something special. I have no clue what that might be since every time I get asked out by someone they end up cancelling due to work. (I think I am developing a complex!)
4. My “new” kitchen table that my friend MC gave me. It is a yellow pine, round table with leaves that fold down so you can put it up against the wall. It is perfect for my little kitchen. Thanks MC! Just LOVE this table!
5. Grape Kool Aid.
6. Fruit Snacks. Yes, I realize that I am not 5, and should like a more adult snack but I can’t help it. I just love them. But they have to be a certain kind. Not just any fruit snack will do. It is hard to explain but let me say that “My Little Pony” fruit snacks fit the bill!
7. My new Conair 2” Wet/Dry Tourmaline Ceramic Straightener with new Straightening Pins. This thing is FABULOUS and worth every penny.
8. Sweet Tea from McDonalds. It really is good sweet tea if you like sweet tea that is.
9. Kettle Cooked, Roasted, and Salted Peanuts from Fresh Market.
10. And finally…my new yoga capri pants from Kohl’s that my mum bought me. Can you say “C O M F O R T A B L E”? And no, I don’t do yoga!

The good old summer time

Well, it is my least favorite time of year. SUMMER. The main reason that I do not like summer is the heat. I can’t stand to be hot. I would rather be bundled up in sweatshirts and jeans than trying to stay cool in shorts and a t-shirt. There are a few things that I happen to like about summer, the longer days, the fact that my nieces are out of school so I tend to see them more and the blooming of beautiful flowers in my yard. What I don’t like: bugs, having to mow the grass every week, being hot, the dogs being hot, mosquitoes, summer tv, did I say bugs? And here in NC, summer lasts a long time. Sometimes all the way through October! Oh well. I had better get used to it. It is going to be a long summer.

Help the Moose

I received an email from one of the animal/environmental organizations that I donate to. It was about the decline in the moose population of Minnesota. In 1985, as many as 4,000 moose roamed the woods and grasslands of northwestern Minnesota. By 2003, the number is 237. Scientists believe that is due to higher temperatures due to global warming. Average winter temperatures in northwestern Minnesota have climbed 12 degrees F during the past 40 years. These warmer temperatures have stressed the moose, making them less healthy and more vulnerable to parasites. If temperatures remain high, moose in Minnesota will disappear altogether.

Weighing nearly 1,000 pounds and standing 6 feet tall, moose are majestic symbols of wilderness in many parts of the country. I am sad to think that one of my dreams to see them in the wild one day won't come true. We have to do something and do it now before it is too late.

There are many people who don't believe in global warming (Rush Limbaugh is one-idiot) and think it is something environmentalists have made up. It is isn't. And we all have to do our part. There are a lot of organizations with websites about how to help stop global warming. Next time you are surfing the net, look at a few. Even very small things will help. Please think about it. I know I do every day. The moose, polar bears and song birds that are on the brink of disapearing will appreciate it. And so would Mother Earth. And so would I.