BOOB JAIL

Thanks to Oprah, I decided to finally get fitted for a bra, now that I am almost 39 years old. 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra!!! So I went to Nordstrom and met a very capable sales woman in Lingerie, with the surname Neppl, so you can just imagine, she was born to sell bras.
After determining my size and showing me that it is possible to pretend at least for awhile that the dreaded "fallen boob syndrome" (FBS for those in the know) hasn't happened yet (with the right bra) I asked if she could recommend a good sports bra - especially for running - that wouldn't give me uni-boob - another malady I've suffered from since my aerobics days. She came out with this contraption by DKNY that I can only refer to as "the cage" or "boob jail". This is heavy artillery. There is this huge bar that runs up along the sternum, externally, so it doesn't rest against the skin. I'm not exactly sure of it's function, but I must say that the unit works. I am inspired to run 4x/week as well as doing twice as many stairs as usual almost every week. The only trouble is, since I'm running so much, I've lost a few pounds, so these giant bras I just bought aren't going to fit me for very long.

Marco had to be downtown at 9:30 to meet someone and pick up some books for a shoot and needed my car. He offered to drop me off at the stairs and pick me up after. I knew it would take him longer than it usually takes me to do my 5 sets and it did. So I just kept going. I kept thinking, "OK, I'll do 7 and then get a good stretch while I wait. Or if I still feel good maybe 8." Well, by the time I was finishing my 9th set, Marco came rolling up and I had already decided that if that was the case, I would ask him to give me 5 minutes so I could do a 10th set. WooHoo! And I felt really good, also because I was done so early in the day. I've been dragging myself there in recent weeks at 1 in the afternoon! Pathetic! And my runs seem to get later and later and later. Hmmm. Back in the day, I had discipline, my workout was the first thing I'd do. Then came the days of wine and Marco. Since I'm decreasing the wine intake, I'm noticing that it has a profound effect on my energy and focus the following day. I want to be healthy and fit again.

What can anyone say?

When a baby has been born and less than 3 weeks later the parents are looking at burial plots? It is just so strange to send someone condolences just after they've had a baby. And the baby is still alive, but can't be saved. They've decided not to put their infant son through countless heart surgeries, only to have his underdeveloped lungs fill with fluid and suffocate him. They can fix the heart, but not the lungs.

I believe that not every life is meant to be long. This one is painfully short, but will have no less impact on those who got to meet him.

Perspective

I hate my walls. They look diseased. My plaster walls were not supposed to change, in fact, very little on the main floor was supposed to change. Now, the drywallers are trying to match the old texture and it is not working. Today I officially lost it. I saw a section of wall that clearly had no need of any new texture, but they had applied the crap to it anyway. Now, I appreciate that they are going to fix it, and I appreciate their work ethic, and their senses of humor, and the people that they are, but right now I absolutely HATE my walls. I can hardly stand to look at them. So today, when my neigbors came in to look, and later, Debbi and Stephen stopped by, I just had no excitement in me. I guess the stress has finally gotten to be too much.

Meanwhile, my third grade teacher, Miss Ecklund, the one we lined up to kiss good-bye every single day of third grade, and who, during that year got engaged and invited the whole class to her wedding (I went), her husband was beaten nearly to death last Monday night by some shit 17 year old arrogant asshole of a kid. Because he backed out of a driveway and went a little too far into the opposite lane, and the kid couldn't bother to give him any slack, and swerved out of the way and promptly got out of the car and beat the man unconscious. I can't imagine what Miss Ecklund is feeling after 30 years of marriage and I don't know how many kids, and her husband is in a hospital bed, unconscious, and she has no idea if he'll ever come home again, or if he does, what shape he'll be in.

My problems seem very small next to that.

Love love love and two shriveled hearts


Diesel and I were shopping the other day at U Village. We love to go there because the whole mall is so dog friendly. Every place I take him, all the employees swarm around him and love on him, offering him goodies and love. They love to have a break in the monotony when a dog comes wandering in. The customers love him too. I am amazed how many people come up to him, given that he is pretty big, but they can see in his eyes how gentle and sweet he is.
As we were coming out of Storables, where I bought some big boxes to help organize the basement shelves, some stupid man said to his equally stupid friend, "I think people who take their dogs shopping are going a little bit too far." And the stupid friend said, " I completely agree." Had they followed me around for 5 minutes, they would have seen what cheer Diesel brings to everyone he meets. Not to mention the fact that it is an excellent way to socialize dogs. I pity the people whose hearts are so small and shriveled up that they will never know the exquisite love of a dog. Or likely any pet, for that matter.

The cradle

We just switched out the new toilet in our downstairs bathroom. We bought it in June after I noticed a little seepage on the floor. Perfect excuse - as I've been wanting to replace that toilet since I moved in. Anyway, it's a tiny bathroom, requiring a tiny toilet, so we googled "smallest toilet", found this Kohler Rialto (who wouldn't want a toilet called The Rialto?!) and it worked ok, or so we thought. Our plumber pointed out that it was leaking and the flapper never landed just right so it would run until we took the lid off and fixed it. He hates the Rialto and had no qualms about telling us. He recommended The Drake by Toto which we finally found and he put it in the other night. It flushes REALLY well (even large loads) and....the seat is oh so comfy it feels like I'm in a cradle.

I am going to try to get in to the editing program. Tonight I was reminded of another of the reasons I want to do it. We ordered Jet City Pizza, of which we are new and big fans, and on the pizza box they had a promo coupon for Labor Day weekend, and used a sticker to stick it on, and on the sticker it said, "Try one of our new Specialty Signature Pizza's!" Maybe I will look for a few more mistakes like that and send them in as part of my application. That should get their attention.

We are going to watch "Monster" tonight. I'm really glad Laura returned Strangers with Candy in case we need a little laugh.

I really miss "Six Feet Under". HBO rocks.

Why, oh why

...have we been delivered with the absolute WORST possible weather since our roof came off? Not only is it wet and we've had to deal with leakage and wind whipping the tarp all about, but it is cold since we have no lid, AND we have no furnace right now, OR fireplace capabilities!! So, in order to create any warmth we have to turn the oven on, or use a little plug in oil heater in the bedroom. We had thunderstorms today. Just after Marco and Diesel and I set off on a little walk, it started in and we had to run for cover at Cloud City Coffee. I looked down the street and saw it coming from half a block away and within 5 seconds it was on us and we were soaked! It is supposed to rain a little tomorrow and then be sunny/cloudy for at least a week after that.
I'm trying not to take it personally. I'm fairly certain my karma is good.

I am supposed to be writing a letter of application for the Editing Certificate program through UW Extension. I am having a hard time putting into words why I want to do it. I love words. I see mistakes everywhere and want to fix them. I am editing in my head all the time. I am dismayed by the rampant poor use of the english language. I go to websites and find mistakes, poor grammar, and spelling errors, and I immediately lose respect for the company. I have always been very detail oriented and strive to speak and write well myself. I have a natural aptitude for editing and proofreading and want to learn even more so that I can help others be clear in conveying their ideas. Marco loves to write, but tends to write off the top of his head and often repeats and restates his ideas over and over. He is beginning to understand that his point loses impact if it is stated too many times. Hmmmm. Maybe I can use some of this in my letter.

Now that they are done, the rain has stopped.

Now, the rest of the story up to this point, has been pretty amazing. The crew working on the house is great. Day one had 60% of our roof gone and the demolition guy estimated it weighed 16,000 pounds. That means that with the remaining 40% plus the little bit we took of the kitchen, our roof weighed 30,000 pounds. I am shocked, but amazed that this little house held up so much weight.

The floating floor is a really cool bit of engineering. You can see photos of all of this at http://www.marcoprozzo.com/renovation. Add a 2 to the end of that address for part two.

It's been so eventful that I have a hard time remembering what all got done when. The stairs got torn out and rebuilt the other direction, the knob and tube on the upper floor has been redone, plumbing mostly done, and to float the floor, they had to build up the perimeter to level it, pour two new footings in the basement for the posts that support the giganto central beam, and pull a bunch of walls down to get the posts inside the walls.

Somewhere in there I had a birthday. That was nice. Diesel put his purple elephant on my side of the bed while I was in the bathroom. I went to yoga for the first time in ages, we walked the lake, and then went shopping for sinks. Then we went to Saltoro for our anniversary. The fam went to Wild Ginger on Sunday night for my b-day and we all came back here for cake. Marco made a box out of house parts and put in it all the artifacts that we have found. Sharon and Nick stopped by, and Thomas and Laura joined us for wine and cake - all before dinner.

I knew this was going to be a big project, but you never really know until it gets going. We, apparently, are going for it.

Seattle, Washington (98115)
TODAY Showers HI/LO °F66/58
MON Showers HI/LO °F67/59
TUE Showers HI/LO °F63/58
WED Showers HI/LO °F64/58
THU Showers HI/LO °F67/57

 

Today
Cloudy with showers. High 66°F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Tonight
Showers this evening becoming less numerous overnight. Low 58°F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Monday
Showers early becoming a steady light rain later in the day. High 67°F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Monday night
Steady light rain in the evening. Showers continuing late. Low 59°F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tuesday (24 hours)
Periods of light rain. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
Wednesday (24 hours)
Chance of showers. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
Thursday (24 hours)
Showers possible. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
Friday (24 hours)
More clouds than sun. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
Saturday (24 hours)
More clouds than sun. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 60s.



OK - chance of rain 50%??? Rainfall around a quarter of an inch??? Who is doing these forecasts?

Water, water, everywhere

Well, Brad and Mike have been here for over an hour, tarping the whole house. They showed up right away, after I made Marco call Brad at about 6:30. They had to wait for Home Depot to open at 7 and then came straight over. The basement floor is also really wet but will not be a lasting problem. This rain is unreal. In my 38 years in this city I have never ever seen it rain like this. The Seattle Times forecast calls for showers through Thursday. I checked as many forecasts as I could until I found a good one and the P-I says light rain on M, T, partly cloudy on W, and some sun on Thursday. I'll take that one.

The constant stream of water coming through the light fixture in the living room is now down to a slow drip. We thought we had it at 3:30, but it only got better because the rain stopped for about an hour.

I feel a little better about it all now, but it's hard not to think that your whole house will be ruined when the rain comes in through your ceiling.

MONSOON

We are three weeks into our renovation. Up until now, I had virtually only excitement and good things to write. Since the roof came off 3 weeks ago, we have had 2 of the heaviest rains I have ever seen in Seattle. And it is only supposed to continue. I'm up now, at 5:30 a.m., because I just came in from my second time up on the roof in pouring rain, trying to correct the poor tarping left on Friday. Of course, these guys could not have predicted that we'd have a monsoon, but it doesn't take much logic to figure out that if you direct the water toward the front corner of the house, and that corner is still unsealed and has a big open gap between the floor and ceiling joists, then the water is going to find its way in and drip through the cracks in the ceiling that were created in the demolition. I am about to empty a second large soup pot full of water and the drips are not even beginning to slow down. And the basement is wet as well, because all of our siding is off. I know it will all be fine, but I am really pissed. I should not have to go up on the scaffolding at 3:30 and 5:30 in the morning to correct inadequate tarping. I am soaked, I am tired and I just want to sleep, but I can't, as long as water is dripping in my living room.

My little boy

Diesel had a hot spot that got pretty infected so he is wearing his cone. He hasn't had to wear one for 3 years and is having trouble navigating doorways and hallways. Yesterday I walked through the hallway from the kitchen to the front room instead of through the dining room and in the hallway was the upright vacuum and a bag of laundry hanging on a doorknob. He knew he wouldn't make it through without hitting everything and he knew he'd hit the walls if he tried to turn around so he just stood there for a long time, waiting. Then after he heard me sit down I heard this little whine. So I got up and moved the laundry bag and the vacuum and he went right through.

JAX

Well, it's been a year without Jax. We still miss her a lot and no doubt we always will. She was truly unique. We almost adopted a sweet little guy named Cowboy who looks a lot like her. Marco first met him at a motorcycle party over at Wayne's (one of those drunken, loud, rowdy overnighters I've learned not to go to), the people fostering him brought him. Marco fell in love. Then he came to meet Diese and they had a good romp in the back yard. Two weeks later I was in the front yard and a woman walked by with two dogs. One of them was Cowboy. The first foster family had returned him, AND found a new home for their own puppy, after deciding that they weren't dog people. GOD DAMN IT I wish people would THINK before taking on a pet. Anyway, we really wrestled with wanting to give Cowboy a home (he was rescued from Santa Fe, New Mexico where they still allow dog fighting - some guy bought the whole litter and sent them up here to The Pit Bull Project, and here he was in our own neighborhood after we met him through entirely different avenues), but with the remodel coming up we thought it would be too stressful etc...Anyway, we read our books and wrote emails and finally got a confirmation of my main fear - that an adult male Bull Mastiff will not tolerate another male of any breed in his home. So we had to say no to Cowboy.
I still have not planted Jax' garden. We need to build a retaining wall in that corner first and we are now deeply entrenched in moving out of the upstairs and then taking down the walls up there. Maybe in July we can work on the wall.

What's new? Well the remodel is fast approaching and we are nowhere nearer to being ready. I have spent a few hours on my taxes and could probably finish them by the end of today though I have 2 90-minute massages to do. I will just do it because this weekend we must start moving stuff out!
Several ideas floating around for a supplemental career. Almost too many ideas. My head is just too full of other stuff to really go anywhere with them right now. Once I get a few things off my list I'll start my research.

ProcrastiNation

Well, I've been waiting for a rainy day to get to doing my taxes (again, we filed an extension). Today was to be the day. However, I am finding MANY other things with which to occupy my time. See, if I do my taxes, then I will be free to proceed with all the other many projects that are mounting up in order to prepare for the remodel. I think I am still in denial that we are actually going through with this. So here I am blogging about it all, which is ever so much more important than actually taking steps toward completion. I haven't had such a bad case of it in years.

I guess the good part is that we've had the sunniest, warmest, driest spring, ever, in my life. This April was the driest of any April since 1953.

oh, okay.......here I go.

I Stink

We just got home from some live music out in Ballard. First of all, it was in Ballard. Not that I have anything against Ballard except that it is just inconvenient to get to. Second of all, the place smelled like smoke and piss. Now we smell like smoke and we'll have to take a friggin' shower before bed. We are both tired and we just want to go to bed. At least we feel the same way about things like this. We always come home from these things saying, "God - what were we thinking?!" Not only do we feel like old fogies next to all the teenie boppers, but we hate going to anything that doesn't START until 11. And then there's the smoke factor. And on top of all of that, their accoustics were really bad and they kept having feedback problems. They have a nice sound on their CD, but one of the chicks wasn't at all charming on stage. The other one was, though, and she has a really great voice.

BreAdVenture

We are making bread. I bought some bananas that got too old to eat, so I thought, banana bread! So I found a recipe that needed 6 bananas. So I bought 4 more. Then, today we started the bread, but Marco didn't read ahead enough to see that we were supposed to use the bananas instead of the water in the basic recipe, so after he had a big wad of dough we figured out it was too late. So, we decided just to make a regular loaf out of that stuff to go with spaghetti tonight and start over with the bananas. Then, before Diesel and I went off to the store to buy more yeast and flour, Marco asked me what 'tepid' meant. I told him it means warm. So that's how we figured out why the first wad of dough wouldn't rise! So now we have two big wads of dough rising in the kitchen (we put the first one in front of the fire where it's nice and warm and it worked). All this after I decided that I need to reduce my consumption of refined flour foods ( I think that's maybe why I'm not absorbing more iron from my food - anyway it's worth a try). Oh well - we'll share the first loaf with the rest of the family at our spag party tonight!!

Weekend of Reminiscences

Well, this weekend took me back a couple of decades to my musical youth. On Saturday we attended a Memorial Mass for Tim Prior, one of my mom's students from when I was a kid. Tim became a fixture in our house for quite a while, mom would have chamber-pots (chamber music potlucks!) where a bunch of friends would come hang out and play quartets and stuff. People would linger (Tim among them) for hours, playing with the Ouija board, or honing their psychic abilities on old instruments, etc...it was the 70s you know. Tim was also concertmaster for some years of the then newly formed Cascade Youth Symphony, which I played in from age 9 - 18. Tim was in love with his viola and would play any job he was able to. I hadn't seen him in years until my sister's wedding, but kept up to date through mom. When I did see him again, it was like no time had passed.
I will never ever forget his laugh.
Then today, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend John perform a piano recital - all French composers from the Romantic period - Faure`, Satie, Debussy. It was a beautiful program, and his performance was flawless. I remember the first time I ever saw him play (in junior high) , I got a little crush on him because he was so talented!
Tim's memorial was full of gorgeous music too. He'd chosen his favorite pieces since he knew the end was near, and a group of at least 12 violists turned out to play a movement from the Faure` Requiem.

Better Energy

I am feeling a lot more energetic these days. I've switched from red wine to white for the most part, it doesn't make me anywhere near as tired. I've cut my wine consumption in half as well. Also, I'm on a pretty regular exercise schedule now too, which makes a huge difference. I'm doing LOTS of yoga. I think I'm called a yogini. That's the female version of a yogi.
Diesel and I have been going for lots of walks, and both of our butts are smaller than they were. Diesel is a sleek 107.2 pounds, down from 115 at one time in the not so distant past. It actually shows more in his face than his butt, which has always been cute anyway.

Another year down the crapper

Well, here it is New Year Eve. Or, as some people say, New Year's Eve. If they say the latter, they inevitably say, Have a great New Year's! Or, Happy New Year's! Or worse, Happy New Years. What does that mean?!
I'm feeling a little run down. Still dealing with the low iron situation. I'm back into yoga, though, and am liking it more than ever. Who knows where I'll go with it. I am going to take a master class in January with some dude who created Power Vinyasa, which is my favorite. And one of my fav instructors is certified by this dude. Actually, the master class is full, so I signed up for the teacher training, but I don't really have any intention of teaching. Not everything has to become a career!
I really did a number on myself when I fell on Diesel. Then I made it worse by ignoring it for a month and then straining my back unloading melamine shelving for Marco. Big huge slabs of it. I've been popped twice in the last week, but I think I'll need a 3rd visit.
I sure hope 2004 is better than 2003.

Hitting a wall

I was jogging with My Diesel today around Greenlake. We'd just started up again after a little walk spot and I'd just hit a really nice stride when BAM!! he crossed right in front of me! Everything went slo-mo for a second as I felt my knees hit his rib cage one at a time, we looked into each others' eyes on the way down, I saw his arm come under him and he landed on his left shoulder and the next thing I knew, I was on top of him on my stomach. I'd have a bloody chin if I hadn't landed on him. He was up as soon as I rolled off of him, making sure I was OK. As it is, my hands are a little banged up and I may need to have my spine cranked back into place one of these days.

OH MY GOD!!!!


My Diesel has little tiny grey hairs on his chin.


He looks very distinguished but he only just turned 3!

Bachelorette

Marco is in Vermont for a week. I'm living on chocolate, wine, soup, salad, and bread and oil. I'm sleeping with Diesel every night. In his bed. (My old futon.) Getting lots of work done, answering phone calls in a somewhat timely manner, sending ecards...
Two of which (of the ecards, that is) were to my brother and his wife, sending them each a big hug after the very real threat of losing their home and everything in it to the fire raging near San Diego. It survived, but the fire was probably within 100 feet of their home. Dad showed me pictures of their back yard and the road running by it, of which the fire had burned the median. That damn fire was across the street!!!! I was stressed out just from reading the harrowing accounts of peope trying to evacuate, and just plain imagining losing my house. I'd be devastated. It means too much to me.

Oh lordy - Marco and I are doing last year's taxes. We filed extensions and now our time has run OUT! It seems more complicated than usual - maybe because I'm doing it all at once and under pressure, but also because I am having to factor in mileage and other things I didn't do before. A couple of days ago I thought I might tackle 2003 at the same time, but now I am thinking that one over. I DO want to get them done early, and I am more organized in some areas this year. We'll see.

We buried Jax in the back yard under the apple tree in the corner. I'd forgotten that she loved to eat the apples that would drop off of it this time of year. The fruit on the tree is more robust than before, and I imagine that whatever I plant back there will be robust as well, full of energy, personality and beauty, just like her. Marco brought home some of her baby pictures that I hadn't seen before. She was so adorable. I thought about her a lot last weekend in Portland, because the last time I was there was just days after she left us.
Diesel is doing much better, though he had a couple of months that were touchy - he was confused, didn't know what was expected of him. I went to Vermont by myself at the end of July for my great - aunt Bette's memorial service. Marco was suppoesd to come too, but it was not a good time to leave Diese, so he stayed home and will go in October. I think it was a good decision. Diese has been a lot more cheerful lately.

Jax, our darling angel in a black and white dog suit, abandoned her vessel sometime in her sleep on Monday June 9th, 2003.
She was a ham, a clown, a comedienne, a matriarch, a sister, loyal companion, devoted friend.
It seems like forever since she left us, her absence is so huge. Her personality was bigger than life. There are not sufficient words to describe her. If you met her, you knew her, it was impossible not to just love her and her silly ways. But at the end of the day, she took care of us all. She watched over us, made sure we were safe in bed before she would go to her own.
She spent her last afternoon 'bonediving' in the backyard. We made up the game, she and I. I'd bought a big galvanized washtub for her to cool off in on the hot days, and trying to get her to get in it, I tossed one of her marrow bones in the water. She immediately dove in head first, stayed under until she'd found it, and came up screaming for more. It quickly became her favorite thing to do. She was very pleased that afternoon, to be showing off for our friends, Thomas, Laura, and Utah. Later, we watched a documentary called "Animals are Beautiful People" and she cuddled up with me the way she did almost every night. Bedtime came and she slept on the floor next to me and eventually made her way to her own bed and quietly slipped away. She looked so comfy and cozy in her bed the next morning, and she'd been so full of life the day before that when I bent down to give her a good morning pet, my heart stopped to find that she was cold.
She was a happy, happy girl, and we are grateful to have shared the 13+ years she chose to spend on this plane. We miss her tremendously. The house is quiet.

We are having a heat wave. First week of June and it's in the upper 80s to low 90s! I have to keep coming inside to the only air conditioned room to rest. I have sheets hanging in all the east and south facing windows. I have a lot I want to get done outside this weekend, but there is virtually no shade in the back yard until 6 pm.
Jax loves the sprinkler and diving for bones in the washtub I got for her. Diesel just goes around digging for cool dirt to lie down in.

The yoga retreat last weekend was really great. Interesting blend of people - small group made it more fun, I think.
I bought a groovy old couch stripped down to it's springs and wood frame that I will plant with ground cover and vines. At the antique shop they said it's from about 1880. It still has a few bits of upholstery hanging on. I'm trying to decide where in the yard to put it. I want it to be one of those things that isn't too obvious but once discovered it will amaze and please the discoverer! I'd also like to create it such that one could sit upon it if one wanted to. I wish I had a bigger yard!

Jax' scar is hardly visible anymore. The excess skin has been reabsorbed. She has been back to her nutty self for a long time now. She has this new ritual of running the length of the house and back as soon as we let her in from the backyard. She used to do like Diesel and just come in, sit down, and stare at the cookie jar. You'd never guess she's 13.

In other news, the work scene has been really bad lately. Marco had a couple of bids recently, but then never heard back from the client. I think that is so inconsiderate! Marco is going a little nuts, but I'm sure everything will turn out fine.
My business has picked up a little. Just enough for me to get by and fit in yoga, yard and home projects, my chair, a little running and sunning with the dogs.

I gave one of my thyroid pills to Marco this morning and he says that he is already buzzing. It was probably too much for a starter dose...
The weather is incredible. It was 60 degrees by 9 o'clock this morning.
I started to fill in my hole yesterday. I dug a trench that was 8 feet long and 5 feet deep and 2 feet or so wide so I could get down and seal the foundation of the house. Now I will fill it up and create a better drainage pattern. I love home improvement.

People tell me I've softened. My body certainly has, but I believe they mean my personality. I wonder why? Maybe it's because I am the mom of the most amazingly sweet and angelic puppy that ever lived and the funniest (and sweet, but don't tell her) toughgirl (reminds me of me), Jax. Maybe it's my relatively low stress level. Maybe it's that I have such a great family, a beautiful place to live that will just become even more beautiful thanks to my dad. Maybe it's that I have such a kind, sweet and loving husband. Maybe it's that I have such incredible friends and I'm always meeting really great people. Maybe I'm just HAPPY!

I've been spending my time doing yoga, running into old friends, stripping an old chair to be reupholstered, jogging, digging a big hole, hiking stairs (Sundays at 10 am), hanging out while Diesel and Utah wrestle, and working once in awhile. Life is good. We got some preliminary drawings to peruse for the upstairs remodel. It's time to let go and let the house be something different. When all is said and done it will have quite a different look AND it will be so much more functional! We will have at least twice as much usable space. We are also finishing (waterproofing, repairing, replacing, updating, etc...ing) the basement. Marco has become quite the home improvement dude!
I love to be busy!!

Diesel and Jax were playing just now and Jax was getting pretty rowdy and very noisy, and Diesel, in between trying to get the toy away from her he was licking her scar. What a sweet boy.

Jax's 13th birthday was yesterday. I got her a tug toy/flying disc called "Hurl-a-Squirrel". They also come in "Heave-a-Beaver" and "Chuck-a-Duck". They love it. Diesel has already chewed through one of the ropes. He usually takes such good care of his toys. For Valentine's day I got them these stuffed hearts that say "I love you" when they get squeezed. It's especially funny when they play together and amidst all the growling and barking, out comes "I love you" .

I'm pretty clear that I do not want to do the PP Network thing. I feel much happier since I'm following my intuition. I'll still send in the pre-ap and see what the contract looks like, then I'll make my final decision.

Nice workshop in Portland over the weekend. Til fixed my hip pain. I still have a glitch in my ribcage though. I went to see Far From Heaven while I was there. I liked it. I got a very nice Welcome Home from Diesel.