I was driving home, early Sunday mornin' through

Bakersfield, listening to gospel music on the colored radio station,
and the preacher said, "Y'know, you always have the Lord by your side!"

And I was so pleased to be informed of this, that I ran twenty red lights in his honor...Thank you Jesus, Thank you Lord

I have found that there are some powerful messages conveyed to us through song, and that this is one of them. Drive with abandon my friend. The good spirit will look out for you.
Amen

PANIC!!!

Yes, it's true. We're all going to die. Unless we eat enough french toast. And throw a lot of salt. Panic everyone...Lord I love watching local news. They are currently telling people that they need salt...BUT OH NO-Wal-Mart Lowes, and Home Depot are all out of it. But (and I'm serious), they "NEWFLASHED" that Sam's in Kirkwood just got a truckload in. RUN!!
They just keep stirring the pot. You gotta figure they are getting paid big bucks by Wal-Mart to get everyone running to the store to buy survival kits, four cases of baked beans, candles, four sleeping bags, ice skates, a generator, enough batteries to last until June. Me I'm researching recipes for cooking up canines, just in case. Sorry Chubbs, you're biggest, you go first :-(

Just another day at the office

So, last night was a fine fund-raising effort....I think. Our table ended up "getting their Keith Richards on", as the beer and wine disappeared at an impressive rate, so who knows how much money was raised?
And I got scolded! By the trivia night question reader...and she did it through the microphone, telling me off to the entire audience...what a hoot!

Anyway, after doing some serious intake at the event, a visit to the best little neighborhood bar in Saint Louis was in order (I cannot say its name, or all the trendies might discover it and ruin it!) Some serious money was spent on the jukebox, pizza was delivered, and the beers were disposed of with gusto!

A fine evening....

One for the money, two for the show

OK, it is possibly the largest social event of the calendar year in the Saint Louis metropolitan area. That's right folks, three, count'em, three animal rescue groups are banding together to put on an evening of action packed, dynamic fun, at the MOUSE RACES!!
There'll be gambling, there'll be beer, there'll be wild, wacky games, and I have it on good authority, there'll be dancing girls. Well, if they feel like it, that is.
Anyway, it is for a great cause, and it is a good time. Plus, it is just fiendish how those little mice tune up their cars for the races...

I'll take some potatoes and gravy with that

So, I have a new foster. Ostensibly, Linda has pre-named her Isabelle. Fat chance, Linda. This dog is built like a furry bowling ball, and is as cute as can be. Oh queen of the the dog chow, I christen thee "Pork Chop".
Plus she likes the name and comes when called by it. Vinnie of course hates her, but he'll get over it.

She seems to be housebroken, and for a dog as chubby as she is, she's pretty laid back about dinner. I've had to hand feed her so far. I'm wondering if she has some sort of issue with sticking her face in the bowl...I'll try a bigger dish tonight.

Also, I Let her sleep on the bed, as she was pacing down on the floor-and mild-mannered Simon never minds more canine company (unlike Vinnie, who probably resents me being on the bed, let alone any other dogs!)


Anyway, I'll come up with something less insensitive for a name, but for the next week or so, it fits!

Welcome to the pack, Pork Chop!!

Simon and Liza/Rosie

 

Two of my favorite little friends romping in the snow, pre-Christmas. These two are trouble!

(re) Start Me Up

Ok, so that's a wrap on 2010...
At this time last year, I was preparing the launch of the great weight loss campaign, and the official year end results were...54lbs gone. In and of itself, that seems like a good number, and I suppose it is. Though it has to be said, I had actually got about 70lbs off at one point, so over the last four months I regressed. BUT (and you knew there would be a "but"), I had actually regressed to only 48lbs lost, so I am trending properly again.

So, the new year is off with a bang, this year's resolution (last year being the first time I ever made one, which was "I will finish the year in better shape than I started it"-and I did!) is very closely tied to last year's. It is...to increase my weekly exercise by 50%. Last year I swam 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This year it is to get the equivalent of 45 minutes a day in. Anything more than that will be considered a welcome bonus. I'm not expecting to repeat the 50lb weight loss, as I think that is too aggressive, but hopefully another 35-40 or so this year, and by the time I welcome the BIG 5-0 in March of 2012, maybe (just maybe) I can be at something approaching what I would ideally like to be.

Anyway, all in all it was a good year. I made and lost a great furry friend, improved the house by leaps and bounds, and continued to learn that the song was right. You can't always get what you want...but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.

Maybe.

Onward, 2011...

And so it goes

Short one tonight. Just the observation that insomnia sucks. Even with my darth vader mask. Oh well, maybe another twenty or thirty games of free cell will do it...

Goodbye, sweetheart

This morning, the first day of winter, 2010, I had to say goodbye to my little white angel. Karli's hips and back finally betrayed her, and in a cruel surprise, led to her demise before her cancerous tumors.

I had a few people today tell me how lucky she was to have had a home that cared for her so much, blah blah blah, after what appears to have been a brutal and taxing existence. And I appreciate those kind thoughts and words. But, I keep thinking about it, and I don't see it that way. It seems more appropriate to thank Karli for blessing me with five months of her life. She did me the favor by being here, by being the completely trusting, and loving little dog she was. I will miss her. Will? Shit, I already do.

Winter Wonderland

Today was the first really nasty day of winter. It truly was a blustery day, Winnie-The-Pooh.
But, that doesn't mean everything was bad. I discovered that my senior citizen dog, that I got in July likes the snow. She enjoyed a nice waddle around, and a good lay in it.
And my outdoor decorations took on a whole new look with the snow. The photo doesn't really do it justice, but the reindeer in the snow looks pretty darn good!