Chase, Inca, and Kip
Sometimes I Love You, Chase
It’s not easy getting the three together. They have so many places to go and things to do. However, Chase now has a respectable sit/stay, so it seemed possible to take a photo. They still had their own agendas, but at least they were in one place fairly close together.
Since my two sons are grown and have their own homes and families, these three incorrigibles are undoubtedly the reason I come in from work every evening with a smile on my face.
So, How Long Do We Have to Sit Here?
I decided to see where www.findyourspot.com would direct me to live. Look out Carolyn — it aimed me in your direction:
Top 25
Portland, Eugene, Albuquerque (am I already where I belong?), Las Vegas NV, Las Cruces, Little Rock, Corvallis, Medford (see, I told you!), Honolulu, Baltimore, San Bernardino (I’ll check it out during the Southern Cal Specialty), Baton Rouge (really?), Salem OR, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz CA, Santa Fe, Alexandria LA, Reno, Ventura CA, Sacramento, Carson City, Shreveport-Bossier City, Bend OR, and Henderson. I think Nevada is too hot for me and the Louisiana locations are too humid. The other cities — well, it could be. I think the picks avoided the coast (except for Portland) because I wanted a college or university nearby.
Dennis-the-Vizsla should be writing this post (see Dennis’ Diary of Destruction), but I will try to tell the story in people language. There’s more awful dog legislation being proposed, one of my friends is being run out of her neighborhood because of her dogs, I have a case that has blossomed to a couple thousand pages of medical documents, I have an out of town client whose sister is trying to convince me to send her many thousands of his dollars . . . you get the picture? So, as a consequence, the top of my desk is covered with little piles of paper. Each pile relates to a particular issue — that’s a good plan — it keeps me somewhat organized.
Today I was expecting a consultant so I was copying some documents for her. She showed up half an hour early. Chase-puppy is today’s office dog (Yep! Same dog that ate my cell phone). Because of his penchant for leaping onto my desk, I had moved my guest chairs pretty far out into the room. The consultant came in, greeted the puppy, pulled up a chair — Oh, nuts! Before she could sit, he seized upon the opportunity, leapt onto the chair and then onto the desk. Because he was hurrying, he landed without his usual finesse and he cleared the surface. The neat piles were all jumbled together on the floor. Marge thought it was funny and was laughing her head off, the bad dog started whirling around on the desk because he was the star, the copier jammed, the phone rang.
I AM SO GLAD IT IS FRIDAY!
This is a sunset sky as seen from the Pino trail in the Sandia Mountains (New Mexico). When I was a child, my mother assured us that the gold on the clouds was the reflection from Merry (that’s Mrs. Santa) Christmas’ oven as she baked holiday cookies.
Have you watched David Letterman’s reaction to Senator McCain’s decision to no-show on his program? Whoooeee! See the u-tube clip at www.electoral-vote.com. That site, in addition to compiling poll results on the presidential and congressional races has some great commentary. Today the author asks how Senator Dodd (banking committee) would react if Senator McCain (not on that committee), Senator Obama (not on that committee), and the media throng showed up in his office to help draft and/or evaluate the $700 billion bail out (I don’t know how many 0’s that has, so spelled it out).
I just received an email suggesting that instead of giving that money to AIG and Lehman Brothers, we split it up equally among all adult US citizens. After each recipient paid tax on his/her share, he/she would have about $250,000 left to pay off a mortgage or a credit card, school loans, buy groceries, or a new car. Now that would stimulate the economy and the cost to the treasury would be far less than the cost of the bailout because 1/3 of the money would immediately come back as income tax. We probably need to check that math.
I love creative thinking!
Fortunately I have cell phone insurance. Sunday night I called the claims number and yesterday morning DHL showed up at the office. The delivery person met Chase, who acted as if he had no idea what the nice man was delivering. I plugged the phone in to charge overnight. This morning I programmed it with Verizon, then with the Palm software, and then overlaid it all with my Chapura KeySuites. (For future reference, and if there was a place to vote for absolutely best customer service in the world, I’d put up Chapura.) So, we are back in business cell phone-wise.
Unlike the old phone which was Courthouse compliant (no camera), this phone has both still and video capability. The Courthouse rule changed shortly after I moved heaven and earth to obtain a TREO without a camera. But now I may take this PDA to court with me without being arrested by the Marshals. I actually bought it because it synchronizes with Outlook on my computer so I have all phone numbers, email addresses, and my calendar with me at all times. Now, doesn’t that sound like fun?
The insurance company sent me a crummy case, but on eBay I found a duplicate of what Chase eviscerated. Also on eBay I found the glare-free screen protectors. All should be arriving by Monday.
Next I must determine the greatest height the darned dog can reach AND remember to never leave my phone below that mark. Since he is proficient in staged jumping, i.e., coffee table to arm of chair to back of chair to top of crate, or floor to chair to top of my desk, it’s not going to be easy to protect the phone.
For now I’m enjoying my return to the world of communication.
I received my replacement Palm Treo today — it has a camera! Before I return the mutilated phone, I want to share it with you. The phone people do not want me to send ”The Slasher”! He reminds me of any one of a number of my clients — the senseless destruction of another’s property . . . what has happened to accepting personal responsibility? Do you see any remorse at all?
One of the things I had most appreciated about the Chase-puppy is that he wasn’t a big chewer. Well, that has all changed as of one minute ago. I was upstairs checking out all my favorite blogs and Carolyn’s website updates. I heard Chase chewing on something downstairs — made the assumption it was one of the gazillion toys the dogs have accumulated so did not rush downstairs to check. That was a bad decision.
He chewed my Palm Treo to shreds along with the leather case. He destroyed the antenna, broke off the battery cover. I caught him before he got to the Smart Card with the Garmin info on it. I believe I have replacement insurance to cover damage — and boy is it damaged!
So I’m going to call Verizon to let them know that my dog ate my homework, my contacts, my calendar, my text messages, and see if they will replace it. Meanwhile, Chase is licking my toes — like that’s going to make up for this.
I didn’t have as much time as I’d hoped to find and photograph bronze bells, but this one (albeit dusty) shares the colors of Chase’s brindle coat. The bell hangs atop an old Church at San Luis Cabezon. That deserted village will be the next stop on our New Mexico Blogtrip.
This is the bronze bell at the Church at Las Trampas. The photo was taken through apple blossoms — it will be a while before those are out again. Apple blossoms or not, it snowed that day. Obviously, I did not run out and take this photo to match the bronze to Chase’s coat. It was already in my collection.
In the mountains nearby are numerous canyons and valleys. One of our favorite fall trips is to 4th of July Canyon. It’s named for its spectacular foliage.
Below is the Rio Grande Valley north of Albuquerque at San Felipe Pueblo. Because the altitude is less than that of 4th of July Canyon, we’ve not yet reached the same level of glorious color.
I love them up close and personal. I love to (figuratively) get down into the center and have the stamen brush my cheeks and the petals my ears. Whether I’m prowling one of the California Mission gardens or a remote valley in my home state, I’m photographing the intricate in nature. Some time back, Shelley tagged me to list the six things that make me happy. I already wrote about my granddaughter. This is number two on my list.
Cactus at the San Luis Obispo Mission
Okay, I’m not climbing into the center of this one, but look at the light. There is even a delicate spider web strung across it.
I took this at the Huntington Library
Is it a Begonia (my horticultural knowledge is limited)?
A Rose in the Mission Garden
This rose wasn’t perfect, but the light from the side was. I was there one January, wandering the Pacific Highway, cutting off to visit the missions. Below is the more perfect rose, but without that perfect light. Is there a lesson?
More flowers later. It’s time to play with the Cardis and go to sleep. Think good thoughts!
The Balloons are coming! Our annual Balloon Fiesta begins on the first Saturday in October. A few years ago, after there were 900+ balloon entries, the Balloon Fiesta Committee began limiting the entries to 750 balloons (THAT’S RIGHT – 750 HOT AIR BALLOONS!) That’s a passle of balloons and they are so gorgeous. Besides the mass ascensions at sunrise, there are late afternoon and evening events. All those colors against that blue fall sky — with only an occasional swoosh as the pilots add heat to the balloons to maneuver them. We are involved, and we are in love, with this event.
There are booths selling everything balloon, lots of great food — start out before dawn with a breakfast burrito and hot chocolate. There is always a handmade balloon design quilt raffled, and an original poster (fierce competition to paint the Fiesta poster). It is a fiesta in the truest sense of the word and the hundreds of thousands of excited spectators stand in the cold with frosty breath waiting for the ballon crews to lay out the envelopes and begin inflating them. Spectators wander among the balloons talking with the crews and with one another. What a super ten days! Come visit! At the risk of losing all computer speed (my ISP is the Broadband provider for the Fiesta), I’ll suggest you log in to www.balloonfiesta.com. During the Fiesta, there is a live feed.
The Balloon Glow
I live in New Mexico and I’d like to take you on a Blogtrip to somewhere that I’ve always thought special. These are the tent rocks. The bulk of the formation is located on Indian land, but the Pueblo allows people to admire the rocks from one side. Saudi Arabia is the only other place in the world that has formations of this type. These photos were shot in December with wonderful light. Come visit!
From the Side — They Go On Forever
Surrounded by Wintering Chamisa
At Sunset . . . They Turn Golden
I Love the Texture
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