Kentucky Derby Saturday May 2nd

I always watch the Kentucky Derby on television and wish that someday I could actually go in person.  In fact, I'd love to see all three Triple Crown races in person someday.  

So this year I decided that the next best thing was to see it at Hollywood Park.  I'm going to take Heather with me and we're going to have lunch at the Gold Cup Room in the Turf Club at Hollywood Park.  We'll be able to wager on the Kentucky Derby and the live races that day.  I haven't been to horse races for years--I used to love to go to Santa Anita and picnic in the infield. 

I love Del Mar too.  It's cool and relaxing by the ocean and I'm going to try and get down there soon too.  Maybe make a week-end of it and stay at the beach.  It'll be much cooler there in July than here in the desert.  

So, share your Kentucky Derby winning picks with me!  I'm leaning towards "I Want Revenge", the 3-1 favorite.

The 3-year-old son of Stephen Got Even could give IEAH Stables its second consecutive victory in America’s greatest race, following a dominant performance in last year’s Derby by the then-unbeaten Big Brown.  A victory by I Want Revenge would provide California-based trainer Jeff Mullins with his first Kentucky Derby victory in five tries, and give 19-year-old jockey Joe Talamo a victory in the famed “Run for the Roses” in his first attempt.  The Louisiana native would be the youngest jockey to win the Derby since Kentucky-born racing legend Steve Cauthen, then 18, won the 1978 Derby and swept the Triple Crown with Affirmed in 1978.

This should be fun!  Especially if Heather wins a bit of $$.  I would love that!

Blogging with my feet up!

Yesterday,  I had been sitting on the couch in the afternoon when something caught my eye at the bottom of my sliding glass door.  Upon second glance I got chills up my spine when I realized what was peeking in my door was a snake.  I got up and approached the door and it was a pretty good sized gopher snake.  Marking and coloring resemble rattlesnakes but the shape of the head and the round  eyes/pupils were non-poisonous.  

I've been watching for snakes for a couple of weeks but this was the first one I've seen.  Living in the desert you have to make a conscious effort to watch for them.  That means when you open the door to go outside until you come back inside, you have to keep watch.  

I didn't want my cat Sonny to kill it (gopher snakes are good to have around) but he was out and about.  Meanwhile the snake was moving towards the steps, going around a small statue on the porch and a few minutes later Sonny arrived.  I opened the slider and he was approaching the snake cautiously.  The snake started to hiss at him and Sonny backed away and let it be.   Smart cat.  I called Paul to warn him so he wouldn't get surprised when he came back to the house.

But---I'm not even safe in the house---because last night Sonny caught a mouse and brought it in the living room.  I tried to get him to take it outside and went towards the door to open it and he dropped it.   You know, I can still move pretty darn fast for an old woman!  I made it to the couch and pulled my feet up under me.  Sonny found it again behind the television and, well, I won't go into the rest.  

It's all part of living in Hooterville surrounded by desert and critters.  Especially in the Spring.