My Day at CCI

Thursday was wonderful ... I helped served lunch to the group going through Team Training at CCI-Southwest {Oceanside campus} with my friends, Lyn and Willie, Ann and Vickie {and Ann's friend, Janet}. It was so much fun, and lunch was delicious!

first things first: Willie & Frazier are raising yet another pup for CCI - this is GARDEN. isn't she adorable?!

and our good friend Lance, with his service dog Satine, joined us for lunch. Here he is, surrounded by his girls !!!

So here's Ann, Vickie {behind Ann, in yellow}, Lyn, and Ann's friend Janet {near the sink}

and this is Vickie, working her magic {?!} over the sandwiches {what IS she doing?!}

and ... dessert. the BIGGEST fresh strawberries and Willie's yummiest creme-de-menthe brownies -- which Todd won't let us come near CCI without

So -- we had SO MUCH FUN. I know it always brings a smile {back} to my heart, whenever I can spend time at CCI, with my CCI friends, doing things for CCI, whatever the case may be.

Big sigh, of gratitude,

-- Davielle

Run Away, Run Away ...

... poor kitty. Doesn't get any respect. :-)

Overdue Updates

Friends and Family,

As ever, I thank you for your sweet patience and loving understanding when I cannot update my blog/s. As 99% of you are aware, I have been what is called a "migraineur" for 47 of my 50 years, and when the big ones hit, they hit so freaking hard ... dang. One never, ever gets used to that sort of pain; trust me.

So here's where I've been lately. Yesterday marked DAY TEN out of the last FOURTEEN (not consecutive) of a migraine. And it was K I L L E R.

Today, I am the proud holder of an APPT with a headache specialist right here in Encinitas, for next week. Thank God !!! Why it's taken me this long to FIND a headache specialist is the topic for either another VERY LONG POST, or it's very own blog.

So as to not bore you with more gory details of my headaches, the NEXT UPDATES I owe everyone is that ... so much has been happening, I can barely keep up :-) ...

I have photos from Trevor's baseball tourny out in Cathedral City, from MLK weekend. Hope to post more -- eventually.

That same weekend, we were out in Borrego for Mark's (cycling) training camp weekend - an annual event. One pic here of Marky Mark on Montezuma Grade, Monday morning:

BOLT, the little rat terrier pup that is Rocky's niece -

found an excellent home! Yay for Bolt !!!

I started my Mixed Media (art) class with local artist, an amazing woman - Jane LaFazio - on Monday (Jan 26), and discovered that a lifelong friend of Mark's is in my class :-) -- and there is a darling gal who recently moved to San Diego in class with the same last name as me: Huffman. CLASS IS FULL, with twenty students, and it's going to be such fun. I will post photos and notes on my other blog, http://iamprincessmagpie.blogspot.com/ -- soon. But here's a little teaser:

Our GE Monogram refrigerator, the beast, is still giving us lots of trouble -- this photo was taken after the 17th home visit (I am NOT kidding, nor am I exaggerating) since early September:

One just has to adjust one's grocery shopping forays to account for all the FOOD LOSS one is going to likely suffer -- freezer burn is one, and ice cream melt is the other -- if they don't get it right!

And a couple of weeks ago, my fun friend & neighbor, Victoria, started her very own batch of homemade Limoncello -- and I just helped with the final steps & bottling of her brew -- it turned out beautiful and a little creamy in color ... it's gorgeous. Photo here, 'cause it's the most recent I took.

That's all, folks ...

-- Davielle

Do Bloggers BLOVIATE ???

So my nephew (my one & only nephew, on my side of the family) had this cool word on his Facebook page this week: BLOVIATE. Me, I'd never heard the word, so I asked him what it meant. He replied with this definition, and sweet man that he is, he included a disclaimer on his FB page that he was NOT accusing me of being ... this:

BLOVIATE

Main Entry: blo·vi·ate
Pronunciation: \ˈblō-vē-ˌāt\
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): blo·vi·at·ed; blo·vi·at·ing

Etymology: perhaps irregular from blow
Date: circa 1879

to speak or write verbosely and windily
— blo·vi·a·tion \ˌblō-vē-ˈā-shən\ noun

So I put the question to you, my faithful readers: DO BLOGGERS BLOVIATE?!

Some do; some don't. I know that I am a very verbiose person, Tommy was kind to say he didn't necessarily think so :-) -- but I am, I know I am.

But the very nature of a BLOGSPOT is so one can voice their opinion. Yeah for those who can do it via "the Reader's Digest version". As for me, that's just not going to work!

-- D.

How Much is that Doggy in the Window ??

Isn't this the cutest {okay, 2nd cutest, after her Uncle Rocky} pup you've seen in a long time?!

my Rocky on the left; his niece, "Bolt" on the right

"Bolt" is our Rocky's 17 week old niece -- Rocky's half-sister's pup -- and she is for sale. We spent about 2 hours with her last Monday, and she is one sweet little puppy. If Mark {and Rocky} would let me bring her home, she'd already be here, curled up on my lap while I post this.

they seemed to do everything in stereo -- top photo, kissing my hand; this photo, their attention was caught by a passing truck

Alas, Mark says "no", and strangely enough, Rocky "told" the animal communicator last year that he quite likes being the only pet, thank you very much, and that he absolutely does not want us to get another pet -- not dog, not cat. Silly boy!

So that leaves this darling girl -- available. At least, I think she's still available. As of six days ago, she was.

-- D.

CLEANING HOUSE (figuratively)

To answer the few who have asked ...

no, I am not a Democrat. But that doesn't mean I can't get behind our new President, and it doesn't mean I can't "borrow" that artistic style that was available for me to create a cool little poster of our beloved Rocky.

yes, I have been busy! that's why the blog posts have fallen a little off the back end. Sorry!

TODAY I will be out, at an art workshop called PASSAGES all day. Can't wait!

For workshop details, for you voyeurs out there, go to my other blog, http://iamprincessmagpie.blogspot.com to see what's happening.

Thanks for all your support and continued readership of my little blog ...

-- Davi

ROCK STAR

In our household, the dog has achieved rock star status. Of course, with a name like 'Suregrip Quail Oaks Rock Star', that wasn't too difficult ;-) ...



Still ... when one's very special Rat Terrier ends up memorialized with a poster much like the ones we saw all throughout our new President's campaign --- one has to think --- is our Rocky even more popular than we already knew?

My thanks to creative friend Ann, who turned me on to the website where you, too, can create your very own poster!

http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/

Have fun with this one !!! {I obviously did ...}

- DH

Front Row Seats

I'm working backwards here, I know it ... but so much fun stuff has been happening, I can't help but get caught up.

Friday night, before we left town for MLK weekend, our friends Ben and Julie treated us to a most wonderful evening ...

They had FRONT ROW SEATS at a very cool local theater (Birch North Park) to see renowned pianist GEORGE WINSTON.

We shared the evening with Ben's parents and brother, as well, and I am certain we ALL enjoyed GW's piano playing just as much as we were surprised by his talents on the slack key guitar AND the harmonica. George Winston is one talented musician ...

I encourage you all to visit George Winston's website at www.georgewinston.com to take a look at all he has to offer these days ... and visit it again in a few months, because he has plenty of new work coming down the pike.

My favorite songs of the evening were: RAIN, WOODS, BEVERLY (although I can't find Beverly on any of his CD's ... darn!), and of course, his mesmerizing and so-instantly-recognized VARIATIONS ON PACHELBEL'S KANON IN D.

As for the Birch North Park Theater, I have attended several events there, but there is NOTHING like sitting in the middle of the front row when a musician is sitting up there, just him and his Steinway, playing his heart out.

Thanks so much, Ben and Julie, for inviting Mark and I to join your family for this amazing evening.

-- D.

Prayers, Please, for our Sick Baby Bear

# 1, as she quite often refers to herself, is sick.

Kristina came home from Trevor's baseball tournament in the desert feeling very under-the-weather, which quickly turned into ... sick. Very sick.

She hurts all over and she was running a fever above 103 yesterday, so she got to the doctor (you see, they grow up and they FINALLY begin taking better care of themselves instead of trying to just tough it out ...) and today she goes for blood work. They want to rule out mono / 'flu.

PLEASE say a prayer for our sick Kristina.

Thank you -

her mom

It's ALL about the dress

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a happy-looking couple:

But what I wanted to mention tonight was this: at the end of a momentous day for the 44th President of these United States, what it all comes down to is ... IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DRESS.

Ladies, you know what I mean. {And I have no intention of being "mean", by the way, so if you're looking for me to "dish" on our new First Lady, sorry ... can't do it. It's just not good form, because it's just not nice.}

And I must say, I think that First Lady Michelle Obama's white ballgown tonight says more than just "I'm headed to a Ball ..."

No, what I'm hearing is "I am the one all eyes will be on tonight, waiting for a mis-step - or a Quick Step - and I'd better have the gown that is edgy, yet sweet; flattering and a little bit flirty, yet tasteful; and my gown better not cost the world, because right now, the world is in a world of hurt."

With her white gown by designer Jason Wu, FLMO is saying ALL that, and more.

not sure what the dress is "saying" in this photo, but it must have been funny!

Could she have chosen a gown that was more sophisticated? Less "embellished"? Of course. Could she have gone with those near-signature jewel tones that people are crazy about on her? Sure. But in going white (they say it's "cream", but I'm not buying it), she again made her own statement tonight. Some are already criticizing her choice because they've seen her "tugging" on it ... okay, so she didn't practice all those entrances and dances in the dress first. Give her a break! It's been a very long day, ladies.

And what First Lady hasn't grown into her own sense of style (fashion, hair, you name it) throughout her tenure in The White House? They ALL could use a stylist from the get-go, and maybe FLMO already has one ... but I'd venture to guess that right now, she's still very much her very own -- woman.

I mean, take a look for yourself - her husband can't keep his eyes off her!

What more does a ballgown need to say?!

-- DH

Change Has Come

And here I thought I was being "progressive", starting up not just one, but two BLOGspots in the last year.

Now I know that BLOGGING has officially ... arrived. Even the President of these United States has a blog now. ;-)

Take a look at this link for The White House blog, and for links to cool presidential facts & figures galore. Photos & videos to follow, they say.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/change_has_come_to_whitehouse-gov/

It's apparently time for Washington to get hip and get busy with the blog.

Here's to change for the betterment of our great nation, from all fronts, in many areas that so need to shift.

-- D.

Walking, Walking, Walking

So I was getting it from all fronts -- my doctor; THE MIGRAINE BRAIN (book); my acupuncturist; my husband; my friends; THE WRITING DIET (Julia Cameron's book) ... all fingers were pointing at ONE THING to improve my health:

WALKING. Taking regular walks.

So - I started yesterday.

Rocky accompanied me on 1/13 and we did 1.4 miles in 40 minutes (we had to stop every few posts & bushes for Rock Star to 'take care of business').

{I park here and walk south - then back}

TODAY I walked 2 miles, sans Rocky, in 40 minutes -- and on the way 'out', I counted the steps (then doubled it for an approximate count): 4,000 total !!! Yay.

{and this is the view where I walk ... and this week, with a Santa Ana and temperatures reaching 80 here on the Coast ... it looked JUST LIKE THIS}

On the way home, I felt so good, I stopped to gas up & have the car washed, then stopped in to visit the CATS and KITTENS at The Rescue House 'facility' within our local Petco. HEAVEN.

Blood pressure normally WAY LOW -- today, almost non-existent. I'd better be careful how many endorphins I get flowing - my BP could drop to -0- !!

More updates to come. PLS POST A COMMENT to cheer me on. Please.

-- D.

Glamour Don't, Part Deux

Okay, so lest I be accused of just picking on the poor gal wearing the smiley-face undies ...

I do have to say that MY personal pet peeve when it comes to Fashion Don't (s) is ... drum roll, please ...

WHITE bicycle shorts.

{and is it just me, or do they look like their faces were PhotoShopped in ? they resemble bobble heads in this one ... yikes!}

Doesn't matter if your a man or a woman; doesn't matter how fit you are. It's just, on so many levels, WRONG.

If you can't get a good enough gander at just what I find so ... disturbing ... just click on these photos and they'll enlarge. Pun all the way around - intended.

One more photo to illustrate my point:

Need I say more?!

Okay, so there might be ONE situation where I won't argue against the White Shorts -- ladies, that would be the ever popular, from-cycling's-near-past, JAN KIRSIPUU of Estonia - when Jan wins a stage or a race, and he's on that podium with his arms raised ... he can wear any color shorts he likes.

Otherwise -- DOWN with the white cycling shorts.

-- D.

Glamour Don't

Anyone remember those old "Glamour Don't" columns on the last page of Glamour magazine?

No?

To the left is an image that surely would have appeared on "Glamour Don't" back in the day ... surely, it would have made their All Time Top Ten List, if there ever was such a thing. ;-)

One should ALWAYS remember to take a look in the rear-view mirror before heading out of the house ... ALWAYS.

One thing's for sure ... her children would have been SO embarassed, and it's ALWAYS fun to embarass one's kids, isn't it?!

Beware the smiley-face panties!

Starbucks Wisdom

You see, it's not just for the coffee, or the Black Tea/Lemonade, or the chai ... it's for their CUPS, too. Wisdom comes on those Starbucks cups; did you know that?

Whenever I feel a little down, or even a little up ... basically, whenever I just plain feel like it ... I stop into the closest Starbucks for a little perk me up. And for the WISE sayings that one always comes away with ...

For instance, yesterday's Nonfat Chai Latte came with this tidbit:

"The way I see it
Isn't necessarily
The way you see it
Or the way it is
Or ought to be
What's more important
Is that we're all
Looking for it
And a way to see it"

-- Desi Di Nardo, Author & Poet, Toronto Canada

Okay, so I don't know what "it" is, and I'm guessing you couldn't say with any certainty either. But whatever IT is, IT sure sounds like something we all could use a whole lot more of.

I'm guessing it has to do with us being in relation with one another, somewhow.

Works for me {kinda like their beverages do ...}. I'm a Starbucks fan, all the way.

-- Davi

Loving for no Reason

Taken right out of the little daily book (LIVING FAITH) that Mark and I receive from his mother every quarter, this:

LOVING FOR NO REASON {message from Wednesday Jan 7, 2009}

"God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him." (1 John 4:16)

Every time you pray, it's God in you telling you to pray. You wouldn't even desire to pray except for God in you. It's God in you that loves God, that desires God, that seeks God. Every time you choose God on some level, God has in the previous nanosecond just chosen you, and you have somehow allowed yourself to be chosen -- and responded back!

We all find ourselves with this surprising ability to love God and to desire love from God, often for no reason in particular. That doesn't happen every day, truly, but hopefully more often as you learn to trust and rest in life. Moments of unconditional love sort of slip out of you and no one is more surprised than you when it happens! But when it does, you always know you are living inside of a Larger Life than your own. You know, henceforth, that your life is not about you but you are about God.

-- Father Richard Rorh, O.F.M. {Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality}

Welcome to our Home

Make yourself at home ... that's always been our motto around here ... we don't stand on a whole lot of ceremony when it comes to visitors.

Most everyone that knows us, knows that I am slightly allergic to NEAT spaces !!! Our home is CLEAN, but it's rarely, if ever, TIDY.

Thank God there's a difference.

Happy Monday, gentle blog readers!

;-) D.

Promise Yourself ...

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!"

-- Christian D. Larson

I love a good quote as much as the next person, and when I spied this one at B&N over the holidays, I could not resist ... it now hangs on the magnet board in my craft room. {source: quotable magnets from quotable cards - www.quotablecards.com }

-- Davielle

MVPs

San Diego Chargers - freaking ROCK the NFL this evening with a big fat win over the Indianapolis Colts. {sorry, "grand" Trevor}

5' 6" / 180 pounds - Darren Sproles is MVP again for San Diego --

And call me the mossy one that just crawled out from under a rock, but WHO KNEW

that Antonio Gates was movie-star handsome?!

Sheesh!

Football just doesn't get much better than a Wild Card Game WIN in OVERTIME !!!

Football Love from your worn out blogger,

-- Davielle

those HEPBURN gals

Although not related in any way, shape, or form, the Actresses HEPBURN have always been amongst my favorites ... forever, I've idolized Katherine; and in the last 10 years, Audrey has joined her on my Top Five Actresses List.

Katherine, with her love Spencer Tracy (above, left) - Audrey spans 3 decades

The depth and breadth of their abilities, and of their beauty, is almost beyond words.

Some of my favorite KH movies include THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, ON GOLDEN POND, GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, BRINGING UP BABY, and WOMAN OF THE YEAR

THANKS TO MY FRIEND ANN, I just learned of something exciting ... visit this link to find out all about the Katherine Hepburn Theater, opening in Summer 2009:
http://www.katharinehepburntheater.org/

in my humble opinion, Audrey rocked any & everything she ever wore

Some of my favorite Audrey Hepburn movies are SABRINA, ROMAN HOLIDAY, FUNNY FACE, and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S


I have forever admired this particular "look" of Kate's ...


"I'm a personality as well as an actress. Show me an actress who isn’t a personality, and you’ll show me a woman who isn’t a star".
- Katharine Hepburn


many beautiful women starred opposite Cary Grant ... but few had the magical chemistry that Kate shared with Cary in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY


If Hollywood had its own Mount Rushmore, Cary Grant's profile would be the most prominent: the hair that Katharine Hepburn mussed in Bringing Up Baby (1938), the eyes that Eva Marie Saint couldn't quite meet in North by Northwest (1959), the lips that locked so breathtakingly with Ingrid Bergman's in Notorious (1946), and, of course, the cleft chin that fascinated Audrey Hepburn in Charade (1963). For more CG images and insight, visit this cool site: http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue05/features/carygrant.htm

That's it for my morning musings on Katherine & Audrey ... two lovely ladies, inside & out.

-- Davielle

Life ...

"Life has got to be lived -- that's all there is to it."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Happy New Year, everyone.

I think Eleanor has made a fantastic point here, one well worth taking to heart -- LIFE has just got to be lived. How simple is that? {you'd be surprised ...}

Me, I'm the curious type, and I always love to hear what others are RESOLVING for their New Year.



If you want to know what some others around the country are resolving for 2009, take a look at this little article:
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2008-12-31-voa2.cfm



Closer to home, this article covers a news segment on making NY Resolutions, with a focus on our children:
http://blogs.sandiego6.com/blogs/your_family_matters/archive/2008/12/25/3637014.aspx



And here's a link to the TOP TEN NY Resolutions -- pretty generic, but worth taking a look at:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/105004/top_ten_new_years_resolutions_for_the.html



All I asked one of our daughters for Christmas was that she STOP SMOKING - or at the very least, that she cut way back. I didn't quite get that promise out of her, but I sure hope she'll make this heart-healthy NY Resolution -- for her sake, and for peace of mind for all our family.



Please comment to this post with YOUR resolutions, but remember -- if they're too "intimate" in nature, you may want to just give me the more public ones here!



HNY, everyone --
Davielle