New foster: BFPA puppy Oliver

I brought home my sweet puppy Oliver last night. I couldn't believe how much he had grown since my last visit to his original foster home. He's already bigger than Bailey was at 8 weeks and he's currently "Zoe-sized" (7.5 lbs).



Here he is on his first morning without his mama and siblings. He's holding his own thus far!



Hangin' on the futon...



Shaking hands with the beautiful people (the lovely Jen)



Snoozin' on foster mama...so sweet!

Again with the puppies

At least I'm not asking for homes at this point - but if I could take these sweeties in myself I would!

More puppies!

BFPA rescued another pregnant dog from a high-kill shelter about a week and a half ago. Last Wednesday, Onyx gave birth to 10 puppies!

We're all having lots of fun guessing what the "mix" is. Onyx appears to be a pit mix, but the varying colors of her babies are very interesting. Any guesses?

The first pic is of a very pregnant Onyx.



The second if of mama Onyx and her 10 pups.

Foster puppy

I will be bringing this cutie home in a few weeks - just before Christmas. His name will be Oliver. I can't wait! He is such a sweet puppy and I look forward to helping him find his forever home.

Lucas officially a Glazener

Lucas' adoption was finalized on the 5th. The adoption coordinator always takes a photo of the dog with his/her new family on the day of the finalization so here's our new family portrait! Zoe and I are happy to officially have him as a part of our family.

New BFPA additions

Puppies!

I went to visit Annie and her six puppies last night in Chapel Hill. Annie is the most loving, sweet dog - even around her brand-new babies. Annie was named after little orphan Annie, so we're throwing around ideas about using names from the musical for the puppies. There are 4 girls and 2 boys, so my votes are: Molly, Pepper, Tessie and Greer for the girls and Oliver and Drake for the boys.

They haven't even opened their eyes yet and are all eeps and grunts, "swimming" around in their bed until they can walk!

Annie



Two of the four girls



All six puppies: the boys are on the left and the girls are on the right.

Ridiculous mosquitoes

Is anyone else noticing these huge monsters at their house?! They are constantly swarming by my back door, and there is no standing water or any other obvious attraction other than my two doggies and myself. I've always been a tasty attraction for mosquitoes - maybe my blood is super sweet?

The one plus is that they are very slow-moving, so thwacking them with a shoe is pretty easy - I think I've successfully swatted at least 2 dozen in the last four days. But still, what gives?

I'm curious about whether this is a localized problem to North Carolina - or is it even more localized to Durham - or even more localized to my house?!

Strangely enough, I have not experienced a rash of mosquito bites on myself. Perhaps that is due to the colder temperatures and my being more covered up when outside. However, that situation brings up an oxymoron - WHY are these mosquitoes persisting in the colder/often freezing weather?!

I'm not exaggerating - at any given time there are at least a dozen of these pests flitting around by my back door. Would love to hear if anyone else is experiencing such an unwelcome mosquito infestation.

The Kindness of Strangers

The Kindness of Strangers was a difficult book to read - not as difficult as The Lost Dogs - but TKOS was on a whole new level of disturbing. Thank goodness it's fiction.

The book is narrated by separate characters each chapter. Unlike some other books that employ this technique, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of needless overlap.

As an overview I will admit that I was reading this book while having my hair cut at my local Great Clips (yes I am cheap). I'd seen this particular girl a couple of times and she remembered me as "the reader", so she asked me about my current book. I described it to her as delicately as I could and she just said, "Wow. I'm fairly certain I couldn't read that."

It's true, but I'm glad I did. It's a story told in reminiscence - and that last scene in the book - from the past - is truly uplifting. Amazing. I can't think of another way to describe it.

After reading this book you'll want to immediately run out and volunteer for some underprivileged organization!

Read more about The Kindness of Strangers here...

Predictions of an unstable future...

I have recently spent more hours than I would ever care to dedicate to anything to the effort of locating a medication that I have been dependent on for more than 10 years. Apparently the manufacturer of said medication has either decided to abandon all of the millions of people prescribed this medication, or they are following through with an elaborate plan to continue making money off of brand name drugs that have no generic - both scenarios are evil and they suck for people like me - the patient.

I'm currently at the end of a month-long battle to procure my meds. I've spoken to countless pharmacists (who unfortunately and dispassionately laugh at me when I ask about said meds) and now my doctor's office is ignoring me. REALLY?!

I'm supposed to take 2 pills a day of the aforementioned medication. I've been rationing my limited stash to 1/4 of a pill a day. This will come to stalking - I promise you. Updates to come.

BFPA's recent stars

I attended Best Friend Pet Adoption's recent event at the Apex Petsmart on 10/22/11. Below are two of the total cuties who stole my heart:

1st is Winnie, who honestly looks to be talking to Susan in that shot. She is still a puppy - 6 months old - shepherd mix - currently 35 pounds but will get bigger. She has one brown and one blue eye - totally gorgeous.



2nd is Taco, a heartbreakingly adorable tiny shepherdish mix - not sure of his weight but he is much smaller than foster sister Winnie. He has a precious underbite and a little puppy yippy bark. Beautiful coat and very loving!

Embracing a change

I started seeing a dermatologist regularly in the spring of 2007. I will call her S. I love S a great deal and we became quite good friends over the years that I spent in her care.

She recently moved away and recommended a colleague of hers for my continued care. Knowing S I was not worried, but still felt weird not knowing what to expect given our easy banter every time I saw her.

I was very pleasantly surprised by my visit on Thursday. My new dermatologist is beyond sweet, very accommodating and one of the most gracious healthcare professionals I've ever met. She told ME thank you for absolutely everything!

Without question I recommend Carolina Medispa and Central Dermatology Center of Chapel Hill for any and all dermatological needs.

I will be getting a skin scan at CDC before the end of the year. I recommend that to anyone over 26. It's covered by insurance and will keep you from being blindsided by a melanoma or any other strange skin anomaly. Be smart and take the time to get your skin checked!

Recycling motivation

in the Spring of this year, I decided to follow in my father's footsteps and collect aluminum cans to be exchanged for cash. I take my cans to J&D Recyclers in Durham on Cheek Rd - they pay $.55 per pound/$.60 per pound to senior citizens.

My co-workers and friends faithfully collect and deposit cans into my collection - it really is very little work on my part. All I do is rinse most of the cans and smash them with my foot. (Quick tutorial: slightly squeeze the can on both sides in your palm. Lay on flat surface, tab side up, and stomp on the top of the can with a sturdy shoe. TaDa: very compact can.)

I bought a 96 gallon trash can that I keep in my back yard, and the last time it was full I hauled 57 pounds of aluminum to J&D.

I'm keeping my receipts and at the end of the year I'll write a check to my fave dog rescues/organizations. It's tax deductible and I'm helping sweet furry animals. What else is there to ask for?

Having said that, I've posted this in the hopes that more people will recycle, for whatever reason. Start your own can collection and do with it what you want. Start a fashion-want fund, support a local women's shelter, keep the money for your savings - just recycle!!!

Luke duty

How sweet is that face? S-W-E-E-T! and he's the best dog ever on top of his suave looks.

In addition to impeccable house manners I was pleasantly surprised by his "house guarding" tactics. He reminded me a lot of Zoe from years back - every time I leave the house he goes over to the closest window to the door and makes his way under the blinds and into view. He keeps his eyes on me/us at all times. The noise of the blinds being rattled as he noses his way into view has become a source of comfort - I love that he's on the lookout!

Lucas will soon be a permanent fixture in my house and I eagerly await his induction into all that is TARHEEL.

Larger-than-life Lucas

He really doesn't know how big he is, but he manages to be the most well-behaved dog I've ever known in my life. He's a prince!

Lucas lumbers - but out of the way. He never crowds me or runs in to me in an attempt for attention.

That's not to say that he doesn't get excited and prance, but he's oddly reserved in his joyous celebration of my daily return home from work. Hence another reason to LOVE him :)

Lucas is a rare find and I know I am SO lucky to be the one to have rescued him!

Quote of the day

A fellow BFPA volunteer has this quote at the end of her e-mail signature and I love it.

"By adopting an animal, you have saved the lives of two; the one you have adopted and the one you have made room for at the shelter."

Think Adoption First!

Dismantlement = Freedom

From the book jacket: "Henry, Tess, Winnie and Suz banded together in college to form the Compassionate Dismantlers. Following the first rule of their manifesto – “To understand the nature of a thing, it must be taken apart” – these daring misfits spend the summer after graduation in a remote cabin in the Vermont woods committing acts of meaningful vandalism, and plotting elaborate, sometimes dangerous, pranks. But everything changes when one particularly twisted experiment ends in Suz’s death and the others decide to cover it up.

Nearly a decade later, Henry and Tess are living just an hour’s drive from the old cabin. Each are desperate to move on from the summer of the Dismantlers, but the past isn’t ready to let them go. When a victim of their past pranks commits suicide – apparently triggered by a mysterious Dismantler-style postcard – it sets off a chain of eerie events that threatens to engulf Henry, Tess, and their precocious nine-year-old daughter Emma. Is there someone who wants to reveal their secrets? Is it possible that Suz did not really die – or has she somehow found a way back to seek revenge?

Full of white-knuckle tension with deeply human characters caught in circumstances beyond their control, Jennifer McMahon’s gripping story and spine-tingling plot prove that she is a master at weaving the fear of the supernatural with the stark realities of life."

Sounds good don't you think? While the book received widely conflicting reviews, once I picked it up I did not want to put it down. I was rapt. I was spooked. I was intrigued. I was perplexed. Again I say, I was rapt.

There are annoying aspects of the book - as noted by one reviewer, I never want to hear the word "babycakes" again - but the writing is solid and actually pretty funny at times. I love quirky OCD Emma and her intuition regarding her parents' precarious relationship.

The author utilizes a multi-narrative style, in which each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. This doesn't always work (in some books it becomes annoyingly repetitive) but I think it is very appropriate for this novel. When done properly, this style allows the reader to more closely identify with each individual main player. Here it works.

Spine-tingling is such a cheesy word, but fitting when describing this book. It'll keep you guessing until the end. A great weekend or beach read. Definitely worth checking out at your local library!

Butternut squash soup

I bought some fresh butternut squash at Costco on Saturday. It was already peeled, chopped into large pieces and came in a 2 pound plastic clamshell. Having always loved butternut squash soup, I did some research online and came up with my own recipe and the finished product was delicious. Sorry, no pictures.


Ingredients:

- 5-6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1-2 tbsp fresh diced garlic (I used it from a jar)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 cubes chicken bouillon (can sub veg or chicken stock for H20 & bouillon)
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Louisiana Cajun Seasoning
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2/3 to 1/2 package cream cheese
- garlic salt and pepper to taste

1. In a baking dish, add squash, diced garlic, olive oil, garlic salt & pepper to taste. Mix with a large spoon to coat all squash pieces. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, stirring at least once.

2. In a large saucepan, add water, bouillon, marjoram, pepper, cajun seasoning, nutmeg and squash. Bring to a boil and then simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

3. In a food processor, add the squash mixture and cream cheese in batches until smooth. (I used my Blend-tec blender on the soup setting so it was a no brainer for me).

4. If serving immediately and soup has cooled, add soup back to saucepan and heat throughout. Do not allow to boil.

Makes 5 servings.

Lucas

Meet Lucas, my new foster (hopefully soon to be permanent) dog. It was love at first sight!

Lucas is a hound mix weighing 60 pounds and estimated to be 1.5 to 2 years old. He is the sweetest boy I have ever met (next to Bailey) and I just can't imagine giving him up! I have a weakness for tall men and Lucas is all legs.

Zoe and Rusty like him, too, and all dogs are getting along very well. I'll be sure to post more pics after he's fully recovered from his neuter surgery.

Zoe dog

The famous Zoe-roll. She is the most famous of snugglers.

In loving memory

...of Eve Carson.

While surely a delayed response, I only just noticed this lovely Carolina blue butterfly "chair" nearby the Eve Carson Memorial Garden on Saturday, September 10th, 2011.

I didn't know Eve (unfortunately) but I was deeply affected by her death. I annually participate in the Eve Carson 5K and I eagerly follow the progression of bringing her killers to justice.

If ever there was a true Tar Heel - in spirit and as an example in a life led - it would be Eve. All that I read about her makes me mourn for a bright light lost. I will continue to remember and honor her as a fellow Tar Heel for years to come.

Below, my niece Abby perched on Eve's chair, followed by a poor attempt to photograph the dedication plaque. I was using a phone...

One Day. Twenty Years. Two People.

I'd been wanting to read this book since I read about it in Entertainment Weekly a couple of years ago, but I didn't get around to reserving it from my local library until a few weeks ago. Just in time for the movie right?

In my perpetual state of procrastination I found myself on Monday evening at page 60 with less than 48 hours to finish the book, and I'm glad that's how it turned out. I'm sure I would've loved the book all the same, but reading almost the entire thing in two sessions made it all the more enjoyable. Given that the story takes place on July 15th every year between 1988 and 2007, I think it might've been less emotionally profound had I spent days rather than minutes/seconds between the connected years.

From the back of the book, "It's 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day - July 15th - of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself."

The book took turns I was fully not expecting, but that I very much welcomed. I laughed out loud (so much so that onlookers at the gym made me explain what I was reading); I was shocked and inspired; and I found myself reminiscing about friends and loves from my past.

Emma and Dexter seem quite real. As characters in a story they are deftly developed. I was completely absorbed.

One Day makes the heart leap with anticipation, vibrate with laughter and completely stop in heartbreak.

Here's to hoping the movie directors/producers didn't completely eff up a great story.

U.S. of Tara cancelled and maybe a sign

I started watching U.S. of Tara out of convenience. I had a temporary free subscription to Showtime so I watched. Not only did I find that I liked the show, but I grew jealous of the tight relationship between the teenaged brother and sister in the show. They genuinely loved - and LIKED- each other.

I was over half-way through the 3rd season before I realized there wouldn't be a 4th. My ridiculous affinity of Kate and Marshall's tight siblinghood was sealed by their recollection/singing of the following:

"Lemondade. Crunchy ice. Sip it once. Sip it twice.

Lemonade. Crunchy ice. Make it once. Make it twice.

Touch the ground, turn around,

Kick your boyfriend out of town...now freeze!"



It's television, and they were very cute together. Unfortunately real-life siblings don't always truly love each other.

Tar Heel Bears

Football season is upon us! Hurray!

I have Tar Heel bears for sale. If interested in purchase please email me at tglazener@nc.rr.com.
Bears are $9 each; $8 each without UNC patch; $6 each without pom poms or patch. Shipping included unless you order 3+ bears - then perhaps a $1 extra :)
GO HEELS!

Quality time

I spent some quality time with Sydney last night while her parents took her brother to see his new school. She asked me to bring Rusty along and the three of us played chase until we were all pretty worn out.

What a smile!

Music for Fences Benefit Concert

Join us this Saturday for good music and food in support of The Coalition to Unchain Dogs in Durham.

Something I can't wait to see

I think I've watched both of the trailers for Like Crazy at least a dozen times each, if not more. I'd heard about the film before reading about it in my latest Entertainment Weekly, and all the buzz is just working me up into a frenzy.

Here's the plot in a nutshell, compliments of IMDB, "A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa."


I love what I've seen and read about so far. Like Crazy is a tiny budget film starring actors whose performances are so organic - so real - that one wonders how they haven't been starring on screens world-wide for months or years.

Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin improvised much of the script - they were given an outline to go on. She wore her own clothes and did her own make-up. Yes, she is a very beautiful girl, even more so because of how naturally she appears on the screen.

I found the way that they incorporated both Jacob's LA life with Anna's London life artistically dead-on, by depicting subtle backdrops of each in the poster of them on the beach. The United Kingdom meets Los Angeles - or not.

The story is so simple and so heartbreaking at the same time. First Love. It is so exciting, mind-blowing and life-changing. Sometimes those changes don't prove to be positive right away, but I think everyone deserves to fall in love at least once. And when it happens for the first time it is truly astounding - weak in the knees, tummy butterflies fluttering, AMAZING.

Quote of the day

"I am never getting married...or having children..."

-Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon - Rizzoli & Isles)

That Jane/Angie is a woman after my own heart. Doggies will do as children for this woman.

Dead Reckoning

I was disappointed after reading Harris' last Sookie book, "Dead in the Family," but I was pleasantly surprised by "Dead Reckoning."

The previous book was so far removed from the core story that I grew tired of the "new" plot that I didn't give a crap about. "Reckoning" returned to the Sookie tales I love and felt far truer to the story at hand.

Readers will learn more about Sookie's Fae legacy, as well as her family history and also get some insight into Sookie's future - the not boring one - that may or may not include both Eric and Bill.

"Reckoning" is Harris' 11th Sookie book. If HBO's True Blood really follows the book trail then Anna Paquin has a SUPER long future playing a blonde back-country girl. I'll keep watching for as long as Alan Ball creates. After all, he is the mastermind behind my most favorite show of all time! (Six Feet Under).

And it goes without saying that after following for this long, I couldn't really abandon Harris either. I'm sure I'll read about Sookie until her story ends.

Back Into the Wild

I just got around to reading my July issue of Outside magazine tonight, and I was elated to see that it contained a follow-up to Christopher McCandless's epic story first published in 1996.

"Back to the Wild" was recently released via Amazon, and features the photographs and writings of Christopher McCandless during his last years (as Alexander Supertramp).


Outside reports that in March, those closest to McCandless visited the last place he lived - a derelict Fairbanks City Transit system bus - to pay their respects before releasing the last pieces of his life he left behind.

I read the original story and I saw the movie. I both identify with and disagree with McCandless's choices. I've never been able to come completely to terms with what he did - I can't argue against or in support of it. What I can admire is the courage of a boy who set himself on a course with more drive than most could imagine to summon in a lifetime.

I think Chris was on the brink of living an extraordinary life, but his ambition and narrow focus prevented him from surviving.

Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch told his story beautifully in Into the Wild - a movie I think everyone should see!

Vacation Foolery

The Glazener beach week 2011 just wasn't up to par. Todd's illness wasn't the only wrench in the plans. There were way too many deviations from the regular schedule. I'm sad to say that I feel robbed of a vacation. Boo.

I didn't take very many photos either - really - there were very few snapped. Hence this post - I think these of Abby and I are the only ones I took the entire week. Good shots though, as we were surely having a great time!

Beach puzzle

The Glazeners finished this one in a few days on Holden Beach. Dogs galore!

House addict

I've been aware of House, MD since it premiered in late 2004, but I think the show's timeslot always conflicted with other shows on my watch list. After all, I only subscribed to dvr service in 2009, so I seriously used to be a slave to scheduling.

I don't recall for certain what recently turned me on to setting my dvr to record reruns of House on USA and Sleuth, but I am now a full-fledged addict. I love every show. It's so much less "soapy" than shows like Grey's Anatomy or ER. One can easily view episodes of House completely out of sequence, and remain intrigued by the case at hand. There are ongoing relationships that minimally drive the plot from episode to episode, and are therefore subtle enough that I haven't been lost after viewing episodes from season one followed by episodes from season five with almost no backstory provided.

Honestly I don't think all series should strive to attain the same seamless storyline, but for House it is the perfect formula. Even more individuated than episodes from the X-files, House has the ability to draw in viewers at any stage of any season.

Of course others may completely disagree with my "diagnosis" of this show, but the reruns I've been recording are in no particular order, yet I've lost nothing from the stories of the regulars (doctors) or the patients. In my opinion it is a great show - one that has proven to be compelling for more than 7 seasons now.

Renewed for an 8th season, I can only hope that House will live on!

Puppies!

The local rescue group that I am affiliated with (BFPA.org) has some of the cutest puppies and dogs I've ever seen. I know I'm biased towards marketing Rusty, but if you want a puppy, check out the bios of these 100% sweethearts:
I've met all of these cuties and they are to die for. All legs, sweetness and puppy breath. You can view Jackson's profile here, and find the others on the BFPA page.

Jordan - Jackson's brother - is pictured below.

I love Tommy Gavin

Ever since I started watching "Rescue Me" on FX I've been drawn to Denis Leary. As far as my "type" goes, he only has height on his side. Nevertheless, I just love Tommy Gavin. Maybe it is his youthful appearance. I mean really - how many 54 year olds truly have a full head of blonde hair?

I'm pretty sure I've never met an adult who truly has "blonde" hair that doesn't need an extra dose of blonde dye to keep it on the lighter side. (There's clearly a significant amount of denial floating around the heads of "blondes" these days).

When I brought up my attraction to Leary to a co-worker, her response was, "yes, he is disgusting." That was not my offered attitude or opinion and still isn't no matter what anyone else thinks. There's just something about his personality that makes me love him - or at least want to befriend him.

I'm sure I'll never meet Leary, so I'll remain an admirer and I'll still think he's hot in a very whacked out way.

Reading that the series finale of "Rescue Me" is scheduled to air the week of September 11th is a bit disappointing, because even those of us who STINK at math can figure that the time table adds up to less than 10 episodes for the final season. Hello? Angel season 5 cut-off anyone? Let's hope that's not what is in the works.

The unchained dog

I can't explain how much happiness I glean from participating in Sunday morning fence builds for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs. I think it's likely something that has to be personally experienced, or should I say "evidenced" for those who really don't put much thought into the happiness of our 4-legged companions of the canine persuasion.

There are all kinds of situations that can lead to an unfortunately chained life for a dog: random houdini acts; uncooperative landlords; financial restraints (inability to build appropriate containment areas for dogs), etc. Many chained dogs are very much loved, but the owners just don't have the wherewithall to unchain their dog(s) on their own.

As a volunteer and active foster home for a local rescue group, I am very aware of the limited resources available for the ever-growing overpopulation of dogs and puppies. Therefore I can attest to the fact that working to keep these dogs with their owners who love them is without a doubt making a difference.

Working with the Coalition is by far the most fulfilling activity to which I have dedicated my time in a very, very long time.

Below: Coogi and Tora, taking a cool drink from a bucket inside their new fence on Sunday, July 17th.

Blue Mystique

I picked up one of these orchids last night as a thank you gift for my brother's family for agreeing to keep Zoe in the fall. It's a "Blue Mystique" orchid from Silver Vase (sold by Kroger).

Being a Tar Heel fan, I had to get one for myself, too!

Magic bubbles

Dinner with sweet kids and their fab mommy last night. Daddy was out of town so when mommy got a call from daddy I took the kiddies out in the front yard where they kept me RAPT with more information than I ever wanted. Trust me, you'd rather not know, so I'll just point attention to the most adorable kiddies ever.



I brought them each a bottle of "magic bubbles" with which the three of us managed to blow a gazillion bubbles before bed time. See Sydney here with her "magic" wand.

Go Green

I just picked up these adorable stamps at the post office. You might have to click on the 2nd image to be able to read the information from the back of the sheet. I am a huge recycler, but I had no idea that recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a computer for three hours!

Apple lessons

This is likely not particular to Macs as I suspect, but I recently shot myself in the foot. I have a white 13" Macbook, purchased in October 2006.

A few months ago I used it to print a document on my printer upstairs. I have since been a stranger to the 2nd floor of my house. Fostering dogs, reorganization and laziness have all contributed to my rather quarantined 2nd floor.

Anyway, 10 weeks later my Macbook battery died, so thoroughly that it could never be recharged again.

$129 spent, I have a working ancient laptop that I still love and a bit of sound advice to boot: Keep your Macbook battery out of the red zone my friends.

Forever cichlid

My first endeavors as fish-owner were horrifically unsuccessful. I'd begun to think that any fish that landed in an aquarium of mine was automatically sentenced to death.

If you read the post "No longer empty", you'll remember my orange cichlid, who remains nameless (perhaps the only reason he's still breathing).

I realized Monday night that I hadn't cleaned his tank much less changed his water since March. On Tuesday night I set aside the task with the promise to vacuum the gravel, clean the tank and decorations and change the water.

All successfully done, I still half expected to find poor orange cichlid belly up the next morning. Nope.

Screw all those damn goldfish I had to flush. This feisty little cichlid - who will forever remain nameless - has an iron soul!

Summer storms

As I've mentioned before, I grew up swimming year-round. Summer meets were held outside and the weather always played a part in whether or not races went as scheduled.

To my parents' chagrin, I wasn't a happy swimmer beyond the age of about 14, but that didn't stop them from keeping me in the competitive swimming world. I prayed for thunderstorms ALWAYS - to keep me from having to practice, to keep me from having to swim another race, etc.

I particularly remember a meet in Raleigh, where I was scheduled to swim the 400 IM in the evening finals (something I severely dreaded), and the father of one of my friends was standing nearby. There was a storm approaching, so of course I was praying for it to arrive in time to prevent my race. Said father leaned over and told me, "I'm an avid golfer. I can tell when thunderstorms will hit. You will not have to swim that 400 IM tonight."

He was right and I was elated!

I'm sure it's sad to some that I have such a fond memory of that night, but in saying so I hope my parents would realize how unhappy I was in spending so much of my childhood in a swimming pool.

Don't get me wrong, my parents are amazing, wonderful people. They've given me my life, my education and happiness. However, even in my adulthood, I don't agree with their forcing me to swim when I felt I was done with the sport. Perhaps they thought I would agree with them by now. I don't.

The younger years

On a very late walk with Rusty last night I honed in on the sounds of the crickets, the creatures, the nightlife around us and was transported back to when I was 9-years-old.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a tight-knit neighborhood where there were kids my age, but more importantly, there were kids close to my age that accepted the older and younger into their group.

At that time I thought I lived in the coolest neighborhood ever. During the summers several of us would get together for games of an awesome version of hide and seek - a game that when I've described it to people they always say, "that does sound awesome!"

Always played after dark, we had kids from around age 7 to 16. The person who was "it" counted to whatever designated number and then went searching for those hiding. BUT, we created a "safe" place, a place that was the goal of each player. The "it" person went in search of the hiding, and could chase anyone they found. If the chasee made it back to "base" in time then they were safe. Of course anyone hiding could "steal a base" per se and make their way safe to home without ever having been found. I'm horrible at explaining things so that probably makes no sense but trust me - awesome fun.

Pre-xbox, nintendo, Wii, etc., my childhood summers were filled with bike-riding, roller skates and days at the pool.

I'm sure my 9-year-old self would've loved the technology, but I don't think I'd trade my low-tech younger years for anything.

Welcome back Sookie Stackhouse!

I don't have HBO, but Kerry & Robert save True Blood for me on their DVR. There was a free HBO preview prior to tonight's season 4 premiere (episodes 1 & 2 from season 3) and I was so excited that one of my favorite scenes is from episode 2.

I apologize for the horrific video, but the audio is all you need. Hearing Sookie imitate Bill saying her name is one of my favorite things...

Quote of the day

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

-Margaret Lee Runbeck

Transplant update

Here's my hydrangea again - now with blooms!

Greatest friend

The Shawshank Redemption was on tonight before the season finale of "The Killing." Every time I see Shawshank I get teary and realize how lucky I am to have the greatest friend in the world. I love you Kerry!

My current crush

My staple network (TNT) recently began airing episodes of CBS's The Mentalist and I immediately found myself completely smitten with Simon Baker. His character, Patrick Jane, is quite honestly one of the most adorable characters I've seen on television in the last several years.
He's smart, charming, witty and very endearing. Every time he flashes a grin I just want to hug him!

All of that doesn't really matter though. The Mentalist is a GREAT show. I highly recommend it, and a show starring such a cutie could not possibly be hard to watch.

Rusty or not?

Deciding between keeping a foster dog you love and letting that dog go (to a successful adoption) has become the subject of excruciating debate for me. I introduced Rusty on this blog a while ago and quit posting anything about him here because I created a separate blog for him, but anyone reading that blog would know I just love him. So does Zoe.

Since Zoe has never really loved anyone but me, seeing her play with Rusty is just amazing. I wonder if she'd ever accept another playmate as she has Rusty.

Zoe liked Bailey, but Bailey tolerated anything. It was not a mutual camaraderie. Zoe and Rusty are actual playmates. Of course Zoe wears the pants - which makes said friendship even more adorable to watch - but they both very obviously enjoy each other's company.

If I keep Rusty I can't foster any more dogs as I can only comfortably and appropriately care for two - and there are SO many homeless pets out there desperately in need of a temporary place to land.

But Zoe and I genuinely love Rusty and he honestly seems to return the sentiment.

What to do?!

Who killed Rosie Larsen?

AMC has put out some great television lately. After The Walking Dead, I couldn't resist setting my DVR to record The Killing. I've been riveted every episode and can't wait for next weekend's finale.



I really think I've got some stuff figured out, but we'll see. The obviously guilty is not so in my mind. I think his sinister behavior has something to do with his wife's death rather than his supposed inner serial killer.

Either way, I'm stoked for Sunday's finale!