Toy Recommendation

I am always on the lookout for travel toys; things to keep us busy on the 7 hour trip to the lake. My most recent favorite is the Find It. If you’ve ever been in an independent toy store, you’ve probably seen one. It’s a plastic tube filled with plastic confetti and small objects. On the top of the tube is a list of all the things hidden in the tube. You have to shake it up and roll it around to find all the items. It kept us busy for a full hour. I plan to keep it in the van for just this reason. It was a bit pricey, but if we use it as much as I think we will, it will be well worth it.

Dirty Little Secret

So, here’s my dirty little secret that many of you may not know: I am addicted to television. I have several shows that I have set to record weekly, most of which are mindless, purposeless and not very good at storytelling. But I like stories and TV has them in tidy little 60-minute packages. It fits into my life, and, well, I’m willing to settle.

The writer’s strike really put a damper on things this spring. Just as shows were getting started, bam! we’re back to reruns. And then, in several of my favorite crime dramas they cleared the decks of my favorite characters. In CSI Warrick is gone – I loved the complexity they gave his character. In CSI: Miami, the medical examiner, Alexx, left the show. I loved how she loved her dead bodies. And lastly, in Law & Order: Special Victims, they inferred the leaving of Casey (the lawyer), Lake (the detective), and Iced T’s character, Tutualla (the detective). Can this all be related to the writer’s strike? One has to assume the two are somehow related. And then there is the end of Battlestar Galactica, one of THE BEST shows on television. I am sad to see it go, and sorry that they took the tack they did on Earth. If you follow the show, you’ll know what I’m talking about. There are still a few episodes left for the show to redeem itself.

So it’s no surprise that I am delighted to finally have the start of the summer series at hand. I am a big fan of The Closer. I love to go around imitating Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson. I think the characters on the show are super and I especially love how Brenda is a smart, fast-talking dame who always gets her man. And I’ll be giving Saving Grace another shot this summer too. I love Holly Hunter’s inhibitions. And the premise of the show is promising. I just don’t think they took the spiritual angle far enough last season. I’m hoping for a bit more daring in that department this time around.

I’ve been looking for something to fill my crime-drama yen. I’ve seen all the Law & Order episodes, ditto with the spin-offs Special Victims and Criminal Intent (the joy of the DVR). I’ve also tapped out CSI (I’m working on the CSI: Miami series). I’ve even seen all the Without a Trace Episodes. Of course we record the new episodes, but like I said, I’m addicted. I’ve tried Cold Case and it’s just not satisfying. Love to hear your recommendations.

Fun Link

Here's a fun little link I discovered through my friend Amy's blog. This is a representation of all my blog entries over the last 2 months.

My Girls

I just couldn't resist posting this one!

Night Out

We have been trying to get together with some friends of ours for what seems like months. Our schedules just weren't working out. But this weekend we finally made it to see The Fantasticks at a local theatre.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but it was a really nice show. It seems like it was probably a major influence for Steven Sondheim and Into The Woods (which is one of my favorites). The girl who played Luisa was so over the top, our friend said she was a bit too Disney-princess. I agree. I was also surprised that I didn't recognize but one song from the show. After all, it is the longest running Broadway production ever. I just assumed I would have heard more of the tunes. 

I'm not sure this is a show I would rush to see again, but if Jerry Orbach came back from the dead to reprise his roll as El Gallo, I'd be the first in line! All in all, it was a great night out -- thanks guys for the invite. Let's do it again.

Finally Finished!!

It's been a long hard slog, but we are finally finished with the patio!! It is so satisfying to sit out an have a celebratory drink. Here's to a long, lovely summer.

Love In The Time Of Cholera

Contrary to what my blog my hint at, my life has been about more than just the dogs lately :) I finally finished reading Love In The Time Of Cholera. 

I have to admit, for me it was a bit of a slog. I don't know why really, except that I just couldn't love ANY of the main characters. They were too well written. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is unflinching in his character descriptions. They all have so many flaws, so many downright ugly qualities, that it was a hard read. It was too realistic for me to enjoy and I feel a bit embarrassed admitting it. I think when it comes right down to it, they reminded me of myself too much and were not nearly escapist enough for me. The ending was a slight redemption, for some characters and for the plot.

The writing was beautiful, but for my money, I'll take the lyrical writing of Zora Neal Hurston over this book any day. Sorry Richard. It was just ok.

Under Her Wing

Jezzy is slowly but surely allowing herself to show Luna some affection. They often nap together throughout the day and have developed a routine about play. Jezzy will squeak her rabbit in Luna's face until she can't resist it and they wrestle for that toy for about 10 minutes together. It's a lot of fun to watch them interact. However, it still needs to be Jezzy's idea. Luna can't be the initiator of the game.

Don't get me wrong, there have been times when Jezzy will get in her crate and bark at Luna to leave her alone. Luna will get the message too. And there was that time that Luna was sitting next to me on the sofa, in Jezzy's usual spot -- Jezzy got up on the sofa and ever so gently sat down on Luna until she moved and Jezzy was able to sit in her spot next to me. Luna settled for the spot next to Jez. So funny!

Her Person

Hayes is ALL about Luna. He love, love, loves her. 

Around our house, I am known as Jezzy's person. It's a known fact that whippets attach themselves to the people in their lives. Recently, Hayes announced that he thinks he is Luna's person. I sure hope he is right. He certainly loves that girl. We are encouraging him to feed her, play with her, and our vet has a puppy class that I want to take him & Luna to. I think it would be great for them both. Never underestimate the power of a dog.

Life With Luna

After her first night with us, we were all a little bit beat. A Whippet pile nap was DEFINITELY in order!

Our outdoor cushions have been housed inside due to the massive amounts of rain this month. Luna has discovered them as a fun-filled jungle gym.

She certainly keeps us busy!

Toy Joy

It's hard to remember that most dogs love toys. Jezzy has always been a little stand-offish about them. She only chases the rabbits and squirrels with squeakers in them. The pup LOVES them. S0 I went and got a few new toys to keep the interest level in the toys high and to be sure there were plenty of appropriate chewing options. One of the toys is a squirrel-in-the-stump where there are three little squeaky squirrels that she can pull out of the stuffed stump. It's been a load of fun, but as you can see, the box has been just as enjoyable! Such a typical baby.

Comanche Moon: Luna

Meet our newest addition! She arrived last night, all the way from Colorado. She was co-bred by Snowbird Kennels in Colorado Springs, and our good friend at SaeSi Kennels here in Indianapolis. You can see the news about the pups and their line here. All of Snowbird's dogs have Native American names; Our little girl is Snowbird SaeSi's Comanche Moon. We call her Luna. Luna is Jezzy's niece. We are so delighted to have her. She's a bundle of energy!





I'm sure there will be many more pictures to follow.