At last ...

... I'm FIFTY !!!





Happy birthday to me - as was sung to me last night at a surprise birthday party for me at my sister and brother in law's home. Details to follow, with party pics. For now ...



A most heartfelt THANK YOU to all who have sent me birthday cards and presents, and your well wishes - and to my family, for pulling off the Surprise of the Half-Century.

xo,
DAH

You Win Some ...

... and you lose some. But it all works out in the end.

"Grand" Trevor's travel-ball team had a great tournament weekend going - they won both games yesterday, and were looking good going into today's Game Three towards the Championship. With a 3-1 game, though, things took a turn and The Other Team ended up winning, 4-3. But that's baseball, isn't it? You win some. You lose some. Always remember: there's no crying in baseball {usually}. Our AZTECS played good ball and they have much to be proud of. I know that I'm proud of 'em, but am I biased?

Trevor at a tourney in November {he caught all 4 games that weekend ... this is a dedicated team player!}

In other realms, the same rule applies. You win some; you lose some. But what some might consider a "loss" turns out to be such a blessing.

If you don't know by now that I have worked for, and strongly support the work of, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), then you have not been perusing the left-hand-column of this very blogspot. When a dog being raised for CCI doesn't make it in Advanced Training, they are released from the program {although some do go on to other working dog organizations to pursue a different kind of working life - Search & Rescue, Guide Dogs, DEA work, etc}. Right now, our friends raised a pup for CCI, TARA, and she is currently 'exploring her options' in Search and Rescue work - I don't know anyone who knows Tara who wouldn't wish to get lost, just so Tara could find them {okay, so her trainer actually said it first - but it's SO true}.

The stories that I so enjoy are the ones about the Release Dogs that -- do therapy work. Take LANDIS for instance. This was the biggest, handsomest pup I'd ever come across, and having CCI name him for a man who holds a special place in our hearts was so exciting. LANDIS {the dog} was raised by a fabulous puppy-raising couple in Arizona, Amanda & John. When LANDIS was released from CCI, he returned to Arizona, and he is now a certified Therapy Dog, and he's working in a hospice program. I am so deeply happy for any and everyone that has known and will know this dog. LANDIS stole my heart, and I believe he's continuing to steal more of the same.

I told you he was a big puppy!

and he's grown into a big handsome Big Dog now ...

Then there are the Release Dogs that just ... do their own kind of 'therapy' work. Take for instance RONIE. She loves her mom, and her mom loves her. Her mom loves her so much, in fact, that she has created the most amazing scrapbook ALL ABOUT RONIE, in which Ronie is featured in her vast array of bandanas -- she has one for every occasion! But the photo that I am so taken with is this one ... it's of Ronie enjoying a Cold Winter's Nap under a blanket, which she slept under an entire night! Lyn says Ronie goes to bed all tucked in - and wakes up in just the same spot. What a love she is. Ronie brings a smile to my face every time I get to see her - she is such a delight.

Ronie all tucked in ...

Not enough time here to go into the CCI dogs that have touched my life with the ways they've enhanced, altered, changed, improved, deeply moved the life of a person with a disability - their Graduate {person} and all who know him or her. That's for another post entirely.

Happy Sunday to you all,

D.

One-Twenty-One

That is how many Christmas cards we're mailing out today. There are some straggling addresses still needed, but not many ... the 2008 Christmas Card Project is coming to a close.

Whew.

Now for the Shopping. From us, and for my dad, Frank. {I must be the biggest Elf on the planet, next to Will Farrell}.

Happy Friday of the Christmas Season, friends and family. Gotta run!

-- D.

Closet Progress

Okay, so my sweet sister tells me that all this "being accountable" to my readers {that would include YOU} includes -- keeping on with the keeping on with the clutter clearing posts, and the closet-reorganization-process posts, and all that stuff.

I admit it - THIS was the closet "before"

and this is the "during" process, yesterday


So here you go - the Hall Closet has been restored to its original intended use, that of a Gift & Gift Wrap storage space.

and these 3 are the "after" shots !!!

And the Big Blue Tote, formerly referred to as the Big Blue Behemoth, until my friend Lori suggested I call it a "tote", thereby rendering it more my FRIEND ;-) {anyone who knows me, knows that I am the biggest BAG LADY ever -- gift bags, shopping bags, PURSES, tote bags -- no matter, I love 'em and I collect 'em}.

So the GINORMOUS blue recycling "bin" is now one of my newest best friends -- My Blue Tote.

Photos to prove the CLOSET is done {and therefor, I am one big step closer to being allowed to have my family here on Christmas Day}, and all that's left is ... my office. YIKES !!!


Gotta post the pics, and then get to work ... there are still Limoncello Labels to be put together with Victoria, and the Christmas Cards to be labeled, signed, postage-stamped, and mailed.


Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus ...


- D.

DO THE CHICKENS HAVE LARGE TALONS?!

My life is like a mini-moment taken right out of "Napoleon Dynamite".

I swear, it's true.

On the phone with our e-mail provider and they give me - I'm not kidding - a "temporary password" that includes the word: TALON.

I just about fell out of my rolling chair.

Not to mention, I'm apoplectic with how much time they're taking -- we've been on the phone 25 minutes now, and they CANNOT tell me what the problem is.

Jeremy was so sweet, but WHAT THE HECK?! This can't be happening ...

THERE, Karyl, is my RANT for the evening.

-- D.

Just for Jen & Noelle - ROCK STAR

It's ALL about the Rock Star this morning:

me 'n Rock Star, 2007

Rocky loved our kitty, Mischief ... we are still sad about M's disappearance in March 2007

I know how much Jennifer loves our Rock Star, so here's a blog post JUST FOR YOU, Jen !!!

And nobody / no family loves our Rocky more than we do, except for Noelle's family - Noelle is Rocky's "other mother" -- they still refer to him as 'Tugboat', 'cause he WAS the biggest pup in his litter.

Rocky loves boys - Noelle's son was "his" boy before we brought him home {Rocky, not Matthew!} .... so Rocky immediately bonded with Trevor !!! NOTICE Rocky's ears - they're still tipped and not upright. Awwwwwwwwww, how cute.

{see, dedicated & regular readers get to pick their fave subject and I'll post about it ... of course, Rocky IS also one of MY favorite subjects -- I just try to refrain from posting about him all the time, in order to hold the attention of the rest of you ...}

And this is Rocky, a couple months ago, playing with his GIRLFRIEND {and yes, we can refer to her as such}, CORAL. Coral is the Rattie that inspired Mark and I to research and select this lovable, fun-loving, charming breed for our family pet. Thank you, Coral -- it's been quite an experience, living with Rock Star. And thanks to Tom for introducing us to Coral ...

That's all, Rocky fans. I have to dream up a more wide-spread, interesting, possibly seasonal topic for my next post!

-- D.

SPAM blogspot commentary

Okay, my friend Karyl told me today that I am WAAAAAY nice on my blogspot and that she'd been keeping an eye out for rants on topics such as Outta Control Car Alarms, stuff like that.

Okay, so here's one for you, Karyl.

SPAM blogspot comments.

Just got my first one, and I am so mad -- the only way to control them is to go back to me "moderating" all comments, which means I approve / disapprove them. Not a big deal, but heck, it's that one more thing to "manage".

What really frosts me {if you will pardon the seasonal pun} is that this yahoo, whoever they are, left some bogus "comment" full of Air Jordan this and Air Jordan that - complete with stupid LINKS to crap. Yes, I said "CRAP".

So the only way I can preserve my sanity and maintain the sanctity of my blogspot on THAT LAST POST, the one about 'Tis the Season' -- is to DISALLOW and HIDE the comment this toad left tonight.

Sorry folks.

-- D.