Where is Cardiff??

We want pictures!!

Owain's New Friend

Here are some not-so-great cell phone photos of Owain playing next door with Zoe. She is a 7-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. She's very sweet. But the two of them run and wrestle -- its great!



And here is my nosy-parker boy expecting to be let in to my neighbor's house!

Name That Tune!

Ok, i think this is post-worthy with just the video, but add the "tune" and it just must be posted. I can't tell you how much I love this song! It's so wrong that it's right.

What the heck is going on here?!?!

Ok, this has so many things going for it:
1. Kerrazzy cat haircuts!
2. Stoic karate pose by the cat on the left.
3. Cat on the right batting at karate cat's paw!
4. And the finale. Watch and you shall see!

Resistance is Futile!

I couldn't be any more excited. We just got this new picture of Cardiff and official information about his flight. He's such a jet-setter already. He'll be here November 9. I might go insane just looking at him! Is he off the Cute-osity scale or what???!!!!

Hee hee!

Vegas, Baby, Vegas!!!

You all know the famous slogan “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Well, since I’m no distant relative of Bugsy Segal, a crime scene investigator, or an NBC casino owner, I think I can share what a fabulous vacation I had in “Sin City.” There are some scandalous things which I suppose might be better left unreported had I partaken (“card flickers” as they are known, are out all day offering discount tickets into sex and strip clubs. I was too jet-lagged to go! hee, hee). However, being the intrepid explorer that I am, I was able to find the nude bathing areas of both the Flamingo and the Mirage. Of course, in Vegas they are called “European bathing areas.”

We stayed at the Flamingo, started by my pal Bugsy when the strip first got going. Toni Braxton was the headliner, and here you can see how she is publicized by a bigger than life photo on the side of the hotel. Had I known that was what she needed it for, I might have been a little more reluctant to lend her my dress when she rushed up and asked me for it. It was beautiful with live flamingos walking the grounds and everything.





Colleen and I had a blast visiting as many casinos as possible. As far as gambling, I won, let’s see hmmmmm, this plus this minus this equals…oh, yeah, absolutely nothing! However, at one casino for Monday Night Football even though we lost all our bets, we won every raffle. Really, EVERY raffle. We won Riddel miniature helmets of both the Redskins and the Eagles (two separate drawings that we each won), we won a Miller Game Time T-shirt, and we won a supah-pizzazz Miller steel cooler. Good thing you don't have to like Miller to win! I guess I have to amend that; the only thing we didn’t win were jerseys that were also up for raffle. McNabb’s and some who cares Redskin! And what a shame that was. The guy who won looked at his friend and said “which one should I take.” And his friend said “I guess McNabb’s.” I guess????? Oh, how wrong! But we were pretty happy to haul all of our Monday Night Football booty up to the room.

One night we went to the water and light show that the Bellagio puts on. It was pretty spectacular. Thanks to Colleen for handling photography duty as I am apparently blind and can’t tell all my pictures were out of focus! The water actually danced along with the tunes they played. You must go to Vegas and see it so that this description makes sense!



We had a late lunch at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill one day. The bartender, Ephraim is our new best friend. His margaritas were to die for, and the food was absolutely delicious!



Then I got a blister and had to go get some shoes.



All in all it was a pretty spectacular vacation. Just what I needed. It was so great to have no time constraints, no schedule, no rules and no work! Colleen and her folks were terrific to travel with – all three of them are also much luckier gamblers than I. I highly recommend a trip there, because even though I never had Las Vegas on my list of places I MUST go, I now know why it is such a Mecca for more than gamblers.



As if my stupendous vacation wasn’t enough to blow my mind with joy, excitement and fun, I got word right before I left that my new little buddy Cardiff, a baby Norwich terrier, was born. Along with Colleen, Max and Ollie (the dogs), Sammy, Sayles and Q ( the cats), our little bi-city family will expand by one in November. Cardiff is going to be a Liberty resident with me. I can hardly wait!!! Miss Gibbs and Thor would approve.

I LOVE this dog!!!

Wow, I totally needed to see this video today.

Quite Possibly The Cutest Thing Ever

May I present Capers, the baby otter. I believe this was filmed at some sort of rescue facility. Notice his little undulating tum when he's floating on the water!!

Fences and liberals make good neighbors!

This is in front of my neighbor's house. They live about 4 houses down the block. They also have a peace symbol flag on their front porch. I have not met them, but I love them! No one touches the easel. They change the message every once in a while. For a while it had something about how many billions of dollars have been spent so far on the war, then it said "Pro America, Anti Bush." The Gonzales message obviously was put up this week.

I can't help but think how much Mom would have loved this!

My Day Yesterday

This is what I stared at for almost three hours yesterday.



I went to the DMV to get my Maryland license. It was a loooonnng wait which included a lot of interesting people, like the old, stinky man that sat down next to me and promptly fell asleep and started leaning. I decided to get up and walk around at this point. The photo was taken about two and a half hours in. I was number A133. When I first sat down it was at A84. Sigh. Anyway, it all worked out. I've got my new license and I'm registered to vote.

And more pet photos. Here is my other seating option in the living room. As you can see, Vivian has decided that this is HER favorite chair. Who's in charge here?!?!?! (Clearly, not me!!!)

The Tale of the Red Couch by the Window

Clearly I finally am able to upload photos to my computer! Here is the first of several photo-oriented posts!



















They do enjoy a comfy perch!

A Blast (or Post) From the Past

I thought to lighten things up a little, I'd repost one of the earliest entries on this blog. Ah, remember when we were all so young and innocent?? Enjoy:

November 17, 2005

I was talking to Mom'o'us tonight about the joys of bacon -- telling her about your friend's blog where she said "If I was a vegan, I'd still eat bacon." (I almost wrote, "If I was a bacon..." WA HA HA!!!) Anyway, so I was sharing with Mom the first time I had an egg salad with bacon sandwich. Yummm!!!! I'll set the scene. It was probably 6 years ago (did I tell you this? Oh well.) and I was working a temp job at GE Insurance where they had a giant cafeteria. So the person in front of me at the sandwich station orders an egg salad with bacon sandwich. My eyes widen at the thought. I'd never heard of such a magnificent idea! But of course, it makes sense -- bacon and eggs. But on a sandwich? So I quickly ordered the same thing and hurried to my table (I'm glad I was by myself this day, preventing anyone I knew from witnessing my total sandwich gooniness!) Sigh. It was as good as I had hoped. Mmmmm. I had to keep myself from getting the cholesteral-busting meal every single day! I actually haven't had one in a long time as its a bit labor intensive when someone isn't preparing it for you. But it was definitely a red-letter day.

"Oh no! Not the long orchestrion again!"

Kind of what this last year has felt like...

There seems to be a lesson here.

I found this clip of these little ducklings learning how to swim.



I guess sometimes you just have to jump in even when it seems a little scary!

My latest driving test

I had a pop driving test recently. Diana and Gus and I went to IKEA and I was driving. After a few minutes, Gus informed me that he was giving me a driver's test. I wasn't sure what he meant until the piece of paper below was passed up to the front seat.



My examiner told me that an X meant I failed that portion and a check meant I passed. So my first X was for starting -- in my defense, I haven't driven a stick shift in a long time, so I did sort of pop it in to gear. The second X was for my seatbelt -- I was wearing it the whole time, but I did adjust it at a traffic light. This is apparently a violation of driving rules. And the last X, for "not speeding," I just have to take responsibility for. I am a little bit of a lead foot. I will have to try harder.

I'm keeping it on the fridge to remind me to follow the rules of the road. Thanks, Gus, for keeping me safe!

Could you imagine a kitten doing this to Bess?? Kitten is SITTING ON THE CAT's HEAD!

And Good Morning To You, Diana!

That is Cinnamon Life for breakfast! Thanks, dear sister, for the beautiful bowls!

Well we made it through the night, sort of. Earl's nocturnal side really kicked into gear around 3 a.m. He just never stop moving and noisily exploring the apartment. And when I would try to quietly scold him, my deputy would bark. Sigh. So I'm a little tired this morning.

The cats seem to be enjoying the apartment -- they haven't been nervous or skitterish at all. Owain has been a very good boy -- he hasn't barked much at all. But he is being VERY vigilant about me at ALL times (the cats too, for that matter.) There are only three rooms, but whenever I get up and move, all three of them are right at my heels.

I have to run some errands today -- I hope Owain's head doesn't explode from the worry (and I hope he doesn't cry and yowl!) I'll have to keep my excursions very short.

Thats it from Charm City!

Settling in...

Tomorrow is MOVING DAY!