Life in the fast lane ...

Brother Chuck called last night wondering if I was okay as I hadn't blogged in awhile. Yikes--I haven't blogged since September I see.

I have been quite busy. Took a cruise in early October to Mexico on the Radiance of the Seas. First time on that ship (beautiful!), first cruise out of San Diego (loved the Amtrak down and back) and first time to Cabo!

Bo is doing great; work is busier than ever and everyone is healthy.

Last night I talked to Paul about retiring out of California. We both want to be on the water. He'll settle for a year-round-stream. I want to live on a lake. I just don't want to be tending a wood stove all winter when I'm in my 70's, ya know? This place is wonderful if you're younger like I was 16 years ago when I moved here. Now I want something easier.

Memories of Jack

Jack was in love with the 60's. From his restored cars to his candy-apple-red booth complete with juke box--just like the one we used to play at the local drug store after school--he loved the era.

Jack and Sandi were Army brats. Sandi was the first person to introduce herself to me when I started school in a brand new, small town in SW Missouri. We moved there my when dad retired from the Navy. My parents bought a 55 acre farm just outside of town (population about 5,000 I believe). We were city kids. California city kids. An oddity in this small Missouri town. Jack was in Sharon's class, Sandi in mine.

We all ended up moving away again (us back to California). Sandi and Jack moved before we did. Their dad was still active-duty Army and they were transferred to Puerto Rico. Before they moved away, we hosted a going-away barn party for them in our loft.

We didn't have any hay left so we "borrowed" some from neighboring farms so we'd have seating. The stereo was cranking our 78's up in the loft where Dad had run speakers out to the barn from the stereo in the house. The console stereo had switches so you could shut off the speakers in the house and only hear music in the barn. (I used to have fun slipping a rock and roll record on the turntable in the middle of the stack dad would set up in the morning before we all went out to milk the cows before schoo). Fun times.

Anyway, Jack's parents were in the house with my parents, and his mom took turns with my mom bringing out sandwiches and snacks to the party---while we hid Jack from our parents. You see, Jack and his buddies had gone to their own party earlier--at the river. Beer party. Big no no! How we managed to keep them apart is still a mystery to me, but maybe they knew all along.

We've kept in touch over the years and today Sandi called to say that Jack passed away. I will miss you bro. We shared some wonderful times together and lots of laughs.

Bo is growing!

Top to bottom: Bo 11 weeks, 10 weeks, 9 weeks, 8 weeks. He's getting bigger every day. He uses his litterbox nearly 100% of the time now too!!

Bo Video

Planes, trains and ... rickshaws??

Last Thursday I flew to NYC to attend Loretta's play, "The Smoking Diary" and host a luncheon for the networks on Friday at Rosie O'Grady's Restaurant in Manhattan.

The trip to NY went well! Wednesday night, Heather took me to Ontario and we had dinner at Benihana's and I stayed at the Hilton near the airport. My flight left on time and I was lucky to arrive and leave from the same terminal in Denver, a first for me!

The luncheon at ROG's was great! We had 40 people from all the networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and TheCW. It was great seeing so many people I have worked with all these years again. After lunch, Loretta and I cabbed it to my dub house, USA Studios and got the grand tour. Then drinks at a little Cuban bar/restaurant and a dash to the bank in the rain for an errand.

Leaving for the hotel, it really started pouring rain, so I grabbed a $4.00 umbrella (that broke in about 4 minutes, if that). Loretta tried hailing us a cab, but they zoomed by, all occupied, and we kept walking. Then one of the NYC bicycle rickshaws asked us if we wanted a ride. $20 and he'd take us to the hotel. What did we have to lose? What followed was one of the most hysterically funny rides I have ever had.

Loretta shot a video, but she hasn't uploaded it yet or I would share it with you. You had to be there to experience it. I could have reached out and touched the cabs as we zoomed around them in bumper to bumper gridlock. It amazed me that we didn't crash or get run over. I highly recommend trying it if you get the chance. Lots of fun!

My trip home was like the movie "Terminal". We got the shuttle to the airport from the hotel at 11:35am Sunday, plenty of time for our afternoon flights. We arrived at LGA and I did the curb baggage check in and they told me my 3pm flight was delayed an hour. Still I had plenty of time for my connecting flight at DFW. No worries.

A few minutes later Loretta got a message on her cell phone from American Airlines that her flight to Cleveland was cancelled! We tore into the terminal to check the monitors and sure enough, the flight to Cleveland was cancelled and mine was delayed from 4pm to 5pm. We were told to get in line and handed a piece of paper with an 800# to see if other arrangements could be made. Unfortunately, no other flights were leaving DFW that night to ONT and they suggested staying overnight in NYC and take a flight out the next day. Nope! I would rather fly from DFW and be closer to home than spend another whole day traveling, so I finally took off at 7:25pm for Dallas. Loretta stayed in NYC another night and flew home Monday.

I was updating my Facebook the entire time, and had no idea that Ronni (Ronni's Rants) decided to drive up from RR/Austin to meet me at DFW! What a great surprise! I got to ride in the famous Miata! Wheeeeeeee!! We ended up staying up until about 4:30am and had a great time! I caught my flight the next morning and Heather picked me up and it was good to be back home and out of airports.

Flying is no fun anymore. If you forget to bring food, you only have the option of buying (no cash-CC only) what they call snacks, and they sell you a set of earphones for $2 that came apart the minute I used them and I feared I'd have to have surgery to remove them if I dared to use them again.

Other than the travel part, I really enjoyed my trip to NYC, but I'm ready for a cruise!

Meet BO!

Bo at 5 weeks
Bo snoozing

Bo was born June 15, 2009 to proud parents "Belle" and "Licorice" of Kern River Pugs in Bakersfield, California. He has two sisters (1 black, 1 fawn) and 4 brothers (black).

Bo will be welcomed into our home and hearts in mid-August and we can't wait to have him in our life. Our home has been so empty without a pug.

I have one nerve left and he just got on it!

This is our resident gopher snake that lives here at the ranch. He likes to come up on the porch and pop his head up and look in the house through our sliding glass door.

The first few times he did this it scared me until I realized he wasn't a rattlesnake. Gopher snakes are good to have around. They help keep the mice population under control, although when you live on 30 acres, the mice have the advantage.

Tonight after Paul went to bed I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. It was the gopher snake at the slider. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me because it looked like his body was inside the house. IT WAS! He was on my shag rug in front of the slider looking OUT instead of IN.

Instead of screaming like a girl and jumping on the couch I went over and opened the door for him so he would leave. Now I have to figure out how he got in. I have to wonder how long he's been inside. No sleep for me tonight.