If Goldens Ruled the World

A little video I made including all our animal friends...

Blog update

Starting something new... in light of all the sadness lately, felt like we needed a little lift...

Random Acts of Sunshine

Chumley comes to life.

The portrait of Chum (click this link!)

Change is good?

Not always.

I'm not a fan of change when it's a result of something that didn't work out or a last resort. Right now there are too many changes happening at once and it's hard to adjust. I feel like I'm losing good people in my life and it just plain sucks. 

You're always there...

 When I need a coffee date...

You're always there.

When I need someone to lean on...

You're always there.

 When I need someone who understands...

You're always there.

When I'm sad and need some comfort...

You're always there.

 When I need to get up and out!

You're always there.

When I need time to relax...

 You're always there.

 When I'm sick and stuck in bed... 

You're always there.

When I'm grateful for my blessings...

You're always there.

When I need my best friend...

There you are.

A day of rest

Today was a LAZY day, not only due to the rain and wind, but also because I was hung. the. hell. over. We had one of those late nights out (which I realize I am just too old for) and my entire day was spent in bed, recovering. It wasn't just recovering from an alcohol induced frenzy, I was also suffering the effects of fried chicken. More on that later. Or maybe not. But the point is, I was in bed the whole day and guess who didn't leave me for a moment?

This guy....

He is such a sensitive soul and would gently put his head on my tummy, which must have sounded like a volcanic eruption. Every once in a while he would look up and lick my chin or cheek just to show his love...or perhaps make sure I was still breathing?

At one point in the day I sent him off with a note and said, "Give this to your Dad." He did so promptly and then rushed back upstairs to join me in bed. Such a good boy.

I had such a craving for some Raspberry Tapioca pudding and while slowly enjoying my bowl of pudding, again there's my loyal companion. He never once begged for a bite which is very unusual. But of course I did share a little with him. He loved it. 

Later in the afternoon we experienced a "sun break" so I crawled out of bed and opened the doors to the deck to allow sunshine into the bedroom. Before I even got myself situated, Wrigs nestled in, right beside me. The sun's rays slowly started to make me feel like a being of the human kind and since Wrigs loves the sun as much as I do, we were both very content. I fell asleep for almost an hour and woke up refreshed and warm along with a nice sized rug burn across the side of my face.

So earlier in the day I had somewhat of an episode in the bathroom. (What kind of post would this be if I didn't mention this topic?) Anyway, Tom sees the sleeve of my sweatshirt soaking in the bathroom sink. He asks "What happened here?" I say, "Oh you don't want to know." Then he says, "Did you throw up on your arm or something?" Again I reply with, "I'm telling you, you don't want to know." And the rest went something like this...

Tom

"How bad can it be? It's not like you crapped your pants."

Me

"No...not exactly."

Tom

"You crapped your sweatshirt??"

Me

"I was on the toilet. My tummy was bad. I started to get sweaty so I took off my sweatshirt...not realizing, um...one of the sleeves fell into the toilet."

Tom

"That's disgusting!"

Me

"You wanted to know."

At peace.

Our Sweet Chumley

(October 31, 1994 - February 26, 2012)

It hurts just as much as I always dreaded it would - we all miss him SO much and are trying to adapt to a life without him.  At some point I will write about the experience and his final days with us. We are grateful to have been able to love him to (and through) death. Be at peace little man. 

We love you.

Chumley's World

can be a bit crazy...

Thanksgiving

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Preparing for Thanksgiving, the menu, shopping, decorating, baking, is more cherished around here than Christmas preparations (don't get me wrong - I love getting the tree and decorating it to the nines but let's face it, it becomes one giant mess of clutter come December 26th).

My mom arrives in less than a week, as this has been our tradition for Thanksgiving since moving away from Chicago nearly 10 years ago. We talk on the phone at least once a day, sharing ideas and fun things we have planned for her visit. It's so easy to feel overwhelmed this time of year, I do, even in my simple, little life so I can only imagine those who work stressful jobs, have young children or have both a full time career and family?? How do they get everything done? And in addition to that, maintain all the social/family obligations without falling asleep in their food? I admire those who can master all things I deem un-masterful because I don't know how they do it. I guess I know my limitations as a human being and have to allow for comfortable boundaries within them. That's why it's going to be a guilt-free holiday this season in terms of commitments and even gift giving.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all the blessings we are fortunate to have in our lives. Keeping that in the forefront of my mind helps put all the other "stuff" in perspective.

Beware of Dog(s)

Wrigs and I were on our daily stroll through town when suddenly we hear loud, aggressive barking coming from up ahead. I couldn't spot the dogs, but there were multiple barks and growls - each one louder and more ferocious than the last. We were on a busy street corner and after scanning the sidewalks in all directions I saw a dog's head pop out of the passenger side window of a big truck parked on the street. And then 2 more not so friendly heads appeared. The dogs spotted Wrigley and their barking and stance were just like the dog in the photo above. The window was a little less than half way up but I did not feel comfortable walking by the truck. A man standing next to me on the sidewalk said, "I don't think they're too friendly" and was hesitant to walk by as well. No sooner did his words come out when one of the dogs jumped out of the truck and headed straight for Wrigley. Wrigs and I ran into the vitamin store on the corner, along with the man and a couple other sidewalk dwellers. My heart was beating out of my chest and the people in the store were so concerned as they watched this unfold from the window. The customer at the counter who was about to pay for his items was the owner of the dogs and bolted out of the store to get his dog back in the truck and roll up the window. He came back into the store and apologized profusely saying that he forgot to roll up his window all the way and he hopes that we are ok. I told him it was a bit intimidating and as dog owners know, if your dog is generally friendly or at least "all bark and no bite" you'd respond accordingly, reassuring that your dog(s) just wanted to play. It was clear by his reaction that his dogs had no intention of a play date with Wrigs and I can't stop thinking about how this could have ended in tragedy. 

I made up a joke...

Question:

What do you call a healthy lesbian????

Answer:

A vagitarian.

Really, lady at the bakery???

a quick venting post then I'll move on...

Woman at bakery informed me that I "...just don't know how hard it is to shop for gluten free foods, because, did you know that gluten is in EVERYTHING???" Really lady??? How about sticking to a diet that restricts:

GLUTEN (oh the horror!)
DAIRY
CORN or any by product of corn
most SUGAR
VINEGAR
PEANUTS
MUSHROOMS (due to mold)
POTATOES and all starchy veggies
VEGGIES with high sugar content (carrots, beets, yams, peas, some beans, this list goes on)
MOST FRUITS (except berries and green apples and a half a banana from time to time!)
ALL BREADS  OR ANYTHING MADE WITH YEAST OR YEAST EXTRACT
MEAT
ACIDS
CAFFEINE
ALCOHOL
CARBONATED BEVERAGES
FRUIT JUICE
ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS
PRESERVATIVES
And still, there's more...

But obviously I didn't say any of that to this gluten deprived woman, instead I shrugged and said, "Thankfully there are places like this bakery." and smiled and went on my way.

Sometimes I get frustrated with people. While on the topic if I'm invited to someone's home and and I politely decline to eat something that is being served (because I will end up in the bathroom the rest of the night and most of the next day!) or I politely decline a glass of wine (doesn't matter if it's white or red people!) it's not because I'm being picky. And finally when you offer me hot apple pie smothered in vanilla ice cream for dessert and say, "Oh come on! You have to try just a little bit. You can run 10 miles tomorrow!" Don't be surprised if I never step foot into your home again.

Ok,  a lot of times I get frustrated.

All done venting.

Happy Birthday, Baba

Today my Grandmother turned 95 years old. 

95 YEARS OLD! 

Sorry, I just look at that number and can't really grasp it.

I had a conversation with her recently that's fitting to share today, since it is her birthday, and also because just last night while making dinner, my onions caught fire in the oven requiring a frantic call to 911. Thankfully the dispatcher told me exactly what to do and the fire subsided before any trucks were sent to the house. That being said, here's a snippet of our conversation:

Baba:

"Honey do you remember you used to call the firemen and tell them that the neighbor's house was on fire?"

Me:

"I did? When?"

Baba;

"When you were very young. You said you wanted to see the fire trucks."

Me:

"So I'd call 911?"

Baba:

"Yes, you did this a few times, honey."

Me:

"Ok."

Her memory of the past is amazing.

Remember these???

Well, guess what...

They're Back!

Who didn't eat these like candy as a kid?? They were soooooo good, everything about them, the flavor, the texture, the way they slowly melted into a syrup coating your throat as you sucked away. 

They are available now at CVS drug stores in Honey and Cherry flavors and soon to come Black Licorice and Lemon Citrus! If you don't have a CVS near you, you can order them online here:

PINE BROTHERS SOFTISH THROAT DROPS

They contain sugar, (the bad kind, corn syrup) so I'm in a bit of pickle on whether or not I should indulge in this childhood past time. I'll just sit and stare at the pictures for a bit while I decide...

I think I've made up my mind.

free screening of Food Matters

A free screening of the documentary "Food Matters" is available online until October 8th. If you care about your health and the health of your loved ones, PLEASE watch this. You can't afford NOT to.

Food Matters

Some things are better left to the spouse/partner who's just better at doing them...

Like shopping for a refrigerator.

Since Tom was out of town at the time of our great refrigerator blow out, I took it upon myself to replace it.

I was on a quest to purchase a spare fridge for the laundry room and spent half the morning pouring over appliance websites, models, customer reviews, etc. I was very careful to measure the height and width of our current fridge and compare the cubic feet specifications as well. I even called Sears and Home Depot to ask a live person a few questions I couldn't find answers to online and after dissecting all the research I made a decision and went ahead with my purchase. I felt confident, proud and even a bit excited to welcome this new appliance into our home.

When Tom returned from his trip I told him I bought a little something for the house and when I pulled up the link to show him he said squarely, "You did not." I asked, "Why do you not have any faith in me??" Then I proceeded to show him my notebook filled with models, price comparisons and answered questions from my day of research. And he was pretty impressed. Then he asked, "So you measured correctly??" I huffed and puffed and said, "Of course I measured! What do you think I am - a dumbass??" He seemed satisfied with that and said, "It looks great. I think you did a good job." That made me smile.

Cut to...

Fridge arrival day.

So I said I measured the height and the width and even the cubic feet inside the fridge right?? Well, I guess I overlooked one tiny little detail.  That, being depth. I understand there are varying degrees of depth-ness to a refrigerator but since this was going into the laundry room I really didn't pay much attention to those.

But apparently, depth matters:



I should point out that our old fridge was counter depth and sat neatly tucked between the wall and the dryer, giving Wrigley full body access to his food and water bowls.

Well now Wrigs has to eat and drink on an angle and let me tell you, he doesn't seem too thrilled with this arrangement.


"WTF am I supposed to do here??"


So obviously I effed up and Tom was right to cross examine my decision to buy this beast without him but I just didn't want to give him that satisfaction and admit defeat quite yet. Instead, my plan was to go along like all was fine and it was exactly what I expected. (Even as I type this now and look up at this picture I realize how ridiculous this must seem.)

He arrived home from work that day as I was in the kitchen preparing dinner so I rushed down the hall -literally hopping on one foot as I turned the corner -  when I hear, "OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL??"

I casually walk in the laundry room, catch my breath and say, "Oh yes, our new fridge arrived."

His mouth is open so wide I could stick my fist in it as he says, "Are you kidding? It's GIGANTOR!"

I retorted with, "Is that even a word? I don't think it is. And it's not that bad, plus it has more freezer space which we definitely need. Come on, let's eat!" and I turned to head back to the kitchen with what I can only describe as a Skeletor look on my face.

"You didn't measure the DEPTH did you?"

"I measured Tom. It's fine."

"This is most gigantic refrigerator I have ever seen IN MY LIFE and IT'S IN MY HOUSE! LOOK! There's barely any room for Wrigley's bowls."


(*I should make one thing clear, when I use caps it means he's somewhat intense in his delivery but it's not like an episode of Cops. He's definitely not screaming at me. In this case, he even had a sheepish grin on his face, probably because, dare I say it...he was right...again. DAMN IT.)

I head back down the hall and stand at the doorway to the laundry room as he opens the door smacking Wrig's water dish, spilling waves of water onto the floor. I try to remain as serious and convicted in my stance that this is in fact, the most perfect fridge we could ever have. And then...Wrigs walks in. He stands between me and Tom and then does this 3 point-pivot-type of maneuver since he's trapped between the fridge and his bowls. I give him an evil eye willing my thoughts to his doggy brain, "Please exit gracefully NOW!" But he clumsily backs up into my legs and then scampers to run out of the room. Of course Tom says, "See?? The poor dog can't even turn around!" I tell him that "Wrigley is a drama queen who won't even walk down the steps to go out if there's a LEAF in his way. Plus he doesn't like change. This will take some getting used to but he's a dog. He'll adjust. And so will you! Can we please eat now?"

He relents, we have a nice dinner even though every few moments he has some snide comment about the "world's largest refrigerator."

I kindly let him know that his jokes are funny now but in day or even an hour they will be dull. He says he needs to get them out of his system because he's still in shock, I say fine whatever.

The next couple days he doesn't really say much more about it,  but then one afternoon he goes to the fridge to get a drink and while opening the door he starts to sing what sounded like a Bob Dylan song, in a Bob Dylan voice. But I couldn't quite recognize the song so I moved down the hall to listen closely to the lyrics:

"Thiiiiiiiiis is the biiiiiiiigest refrigerator in the laaaaaaaaand..."


...and it's insiiiiiiiiiide myyyyyyyyy houuuuuuuuse." 


"I haaaaaave the worrrrrrrrld's larrrrrrrrrgest friiiiiiiiiiiidge." 


He was trying to mimmick Visions of Johana.

And I must admit, he did a pretty good job.

Plus, I think the fridge helps with the laundry room acoustics.

A panhandling dinosaur...

Today's "WTF?"




Wrigs was NOT a fan.

I love...

My animals.


My family.


And sunsets.


(not listed in order of importance.)

Sobering reminders...

...to never drink and drive.

Air shows

Whether on land or water, we used to love watching the Air and Water show in Chicago as well as the practices where the jets zoomed right by our office windows taking everyone by surprise in the Sears (or now, Willis) tower. 

This just doesn't have the same feel as this. Did you know that they have a special "low ceiling" show here? It looks like it's clearing up so this afternoon's show may not be like last year, but I'm just not into it like I used to be.

This is pretty freaking cool too. I remember as a kid holding my breath during these plane drops because I felt certain they were going to crash into the water below. Still amazes me today. 

Oh Chicago, how I miss thee.