Future Aunties

I wanted to take a moment to congratulate our friends Shawnie and Kevin. Very shortly they will become proud parents to a baby girl from Korea. Ivy Kestrel will be making her way to Madison, WI very soon and we can't wait to visit. From your future aunties Kimi and Mimi, we send a loving welcome to your bundle of joy and to our dearest friends, I couldn't think of a more deserving family. Even though we aren't there with you, we join you in your celebration, anticipation and are always here for support. Mazel tov my friends!

?*!#@

What has happened to this country? How did we become so ignorant, apathetic and disinterested? How did we become so uninformed about policies, laws and judgements that directly affect us? When did we start accepting a progressively lower and lower status quo? And what truly baffles me, is how someone, anyone, of sound mind could possibly think that our current economy, civil liberties and foreign relations are in good health!? Unbelievable!

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Starbucks Pondering

So I'm sitting here at Starbucks waiting for my next assignment, wondering what happened to the week. I had a great birthday, with birthday greetings from all over the planet... I feel the love. But I'm sitting here thinking that we've all become so overwhelmingly busy! What happened to taking time for yourself and family and friends? I don't know if it is relative to one's age or if it's the times we are living in, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time for the truly important things. I working so hard just to get by and I'm exhausted. I can't even look forward to the weekend, because I'm working then too. I just hope this is just a national phase we're going through and doesn't become the norm.

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Spoiled rotten

Okay so it's my birthday this week and I'm going to celebrate all week long...I'm taking lessons from my friends. Anyway, yesterday I went out with my honey and family for a nice breakfast and they surprise me with XM Satellite for my car! I don't even know what to say, but THANK YOU!



This week I'm going out to dinner at Mushasi with a group of friends. I'm looking forward to "letting my hair down" and celebrating that I'm not 40 yet! I'm leaving my 30's kicking and screaming! When all is send and done I already have the best birthday gift. I am lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people that I love and that get me. Okay, I didn't mean to get mushy, but it's my birthday so there :-P

Tighting the belt

No more so than recently, have I felt the economy's pinch at my purse strings. I feel overworked, underpaid and I'm hoping that a change in the White House will relieve that feeling.



I've finally gotten into a somewhat of a schedule with work, but I'm keeping crazy hours. My students have settled into the class (they're awfully quiet) and the university schedule keeps me on my toes. Freelance work is what it is and I know what to expect, but it's hard to keep track when you work for so many agencies. Sigh, okay I'll quit my proverbial bitching and realize everyone is in the same boat. Shesh! It's crowded in here.

Flamingos and Cheetahs and Meerkats oh my!

Linda, and her daughter Courtney, recently won plane tickets and accommodations to one of three locations through Linda's work (Washington DC, Nashville or San Diego). Lucky girls! So they decided to come to San Diego and flew in from Wisconsin on Friday. Kim and I met up with them yesterday and we all went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. There were so many animals and too much park! The grounds are enormous and at times wished I had a golf cart to get around. I loved seeing the Meerkat, lions and flamingos. Kim of course was all about the elephants, especially the babies. My favorite part of the day happened as we were leaving the park. Inside the grounds a cheetah (on a leash) was going for a walk with a big pet dog. I was in such awe that I failed to take a photograph. Rats!



Unbeknownst to us, we were in for 106 degree weather with humidity to boot. At times it really felt like we were trekking through the Sahara or Kalahari desert. After several pounds were lost and buckets of perspiration wiped away we all went out for a nice dinner. It was really nice to see Linda and her daughter. The visit, as they always are, was way too short. It would be fabulous if we could figure out a way to move Wisconsin closer... Until that's possible we'll keep commuting.

The joys of iPhone ownership

For the past two years, or so, I've been with out cell connection. I had a Sidekick III and for some reason T-Mobile does not have towers here in Elizabeth Lake. This made finding work for me particularly difficult. I had to continually sit at my computer and check my Sidekick III email online. T-Mobile regularly had issues with their website, so I would not get email at all until I drove into a bigger city. Anyway it made being mobile difficult.
Then for an early birthday present Kim bought me the new iPhone 3G. Can I just say how much I am in love with the iPhone. I don't have connectivity problems anymore. I'm free to go about my business and I'm not tethered to my computer, unless I want to be ;-) I've been a Mac user for years, so the transition was almost seamless.

So thank you honey for my birthday present. It's the best gift ever!

DIY home repairs

Kim and our neighbor Mark are currently fixing our cable, which involves drilling holes into the walls, trimming trees and god knows what else. I am just smiling, fetching stuff they need and trying to stay out of the way as much as possible. I thought I'd blog and play on the internet as a distraction until they call for my help. Ahh the joys of home ownership.

I would take pictures , but I don't think that would be met with much enthusiasm. So instead I leave you a mental picture of a neighbor's bad back, the coach and nervous animals. BTYL