Bye Bye 2010

There's always a bit of sadness for me on New Year's Eve. It was 6 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long) that my friend Dale Wolf passed away. I was blessed to be at her bedside when she left us. It was 2 in the morning. I remember coming home around 4 and going to my computer to send emails to several of Dale's friends and my friends to tell them the news. At the time I had a Christmas clock hanging on the wall near the room where my computer was. It would play a song on the hour, except when it was dark -- there was a light sensor that would keep it from going off. Well it was around 4:30 or so when all of a sudden the clock started to play "Jingle Bells." Now I don't know what you believe about the after life but I'm certain it was Dale telling me she was dashing through the snow laughing all the way. I always think of her when I hear Jingle Bells, unless I start singing "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin laid an egg." Then I don't think of her. If you want to know more about Dale you can visit www.dalewolf.net, a website I set up for her.

I also want to thank Kacia for her idea to make oatmeal better. You can read it under comments from yesterday's post where I pissed and moaned about not liking oatmeal but wish I did. I'm heading out to get some apple cider. Thanks Kacia and also thanks for not telling me it's just something you have to get use to. I don't drink coffee and when I tell coffee drinkers that I've tried it but I think it tastes horrible they all say "Well it's just something you have to get use to." I suppose I could get use to eating bear droppings too but I just don't see the reason to try to.

I want to wish all of you a happy new year. I hope 2011 will be a good year for everyone. And please drive safely tonight if you are out and about. There are a bunch of drunk idiots out there -- I know I use to be one of them. I plan to stay home and try to stay awake until at least 10:30 then I'll drink my prune juice, take out my teeth, and shuffle to my bed, careful to put up the railings so I don't fall out.

10 ... 9 ... 8 ...

What A Difference A Day Makes

To the left is me today to the right is me yesterday. What happened to that sun? And it is raining like crazy out there. That should make for an interesting drive -- fortunately I don't have to go anywhere.

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home yesterday and it was packed. I guess people are stocking up for another round of bad weather. And from what I saw in the baskets around me it was more about comfort food than nutrition. What are your comfort foods? I think mine are pretty standard:

1. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes
2. Grilled cheese and tomato soup
3. Messy Marys (aka Sloppy Joes)
4. Pizza
5. Noodles (macaroni) and Tomato Juice

Yes I know the last one is not one of the standard foods but for some reason when I was in high school I decided to combine tomato juice with macaroni noodles and loved it. I found out one of my best friends Sue also ate that as a kid and her kids love it too. She adds some seasonings I think but I don't -- I like it plain.

Foods that make me uncomfortable (and in some instances cause me to go screaming into the night):

1. Anything with mayonnaise - the worse food ever concocted
   
2. Fish except for shrimp and lobster (yeah I have that all the time)
3. Blue cheese (smells like vomit)
4. Beans - any variety except jelly
5. Peas from a can or in soup

There are some foods I wish I could become more fond of because I know they are good for me:

1. Oatmeal -- I don't like milk so I have to eat it plain
2. Tea -- I like iced tea but would like to learn to drink hot tea
3. Yogurt
4. Unsweetened cereal -- again I don't like milk so I have to eat it plain
5. Honey

I hope some day scientists will discover that ice cream is nature's perfect food and cookies are good for lowering cholesterol. Until then, pass the oatmeal please.

A Strange Subject for a Sunny Day

I'm still on vacation ... yippee.

Unfortunately I have to go to my uncle's funeral this afternoon -- unfortunate because he passed away, not unfortunate because I'd rather be home watching Oprah.

I don't like funerals. Now that may sound like a stupid statement - who likes funerals. I mean I don't like the ones that are all about the wonderful place the person has gone rather than about the person. I admit I'm not a believer in heaven/hell although I do think there is something after all of this -- I'm just not sure what it is.

I have a friend who has put together a bunch of depressing songs she wants played at her funeral. Her reasoning is she wants to be sure people are crying. Since she is younger than me I doubt I'll be there but just in case I'm not going to cry just to piss her off.

I have a couple of songs I'd love to have at my funeral and the one I want for sure is from Monty Python. It's "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life." I would also like the long version of "In-a-gadda-da-vida" just to see how long people would politely sit there and listen to it. Ha!

At my mom's funeral we had a woman playing the piano and I asked that she play "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown" at the end of the service. It was a song that linked me with her and my grandma. So that should definitely be the "big finish."

So on that cheery note ... sorry hope that wasn't a bummer for you. I promise I won't plan my funeral in my blog anymore.

Have a good day. It's sunny and warm (30 degrees). I may put the top down on my car.

A Day In The Park

This is a photo I took in the park yesterday. It's the bench where Freckles and I would hang out a lot in the warmer months. I don't think we'll be hanging out there for a while.

So what are you doing for the rest of the year? Are you making resolutions? I try hard not to make resolutions but I can't help but have it in the back of my mind? If I could make any changes I think I would like to figure out a better way to use my time. It seems like I waste a lot of time and then all of a sudden the day is over and I'm saying to myself "Well there goes another day where I didn't find a cure for cancer, didn't write the next great American novel, didn't solve world hunger, and didn't clean the bathroom."

Actually I'd just like more time to write, take pictures, read, and do all of the other projects I have to do. I wish I could get by on 6 hours of sleep a day but I'm definitely an 8 hour person. Hey maybe I could sleep at my desk for 2 hours every day -- do you think anyone would notice? Perhaps I've solved my time problem -- and when I'm fired I'll have lots of time!

Well That's That

The trouble with Christmas is that it ends so abruptly. That's the nice part about taking the week after Christmas off -- it feels like you extend the holiday a little longer.

I had a nice Christmas. Spent Christmas Eve with the sparents. We got a dinner from Kowalski's and it was so good. Lots of leftovers so I'm still eating ham and cheesy potatoes. The dessert was decadent and should only be served once a year. Christmas Day I went to my niece's for brunch and had another nice time. Her dining room and living room looked like something out of a Martha Stewart show -- it was so pretty. My nephew made Belgian waffles although at one point we were rather concerned with what would be served when I heard my niece say "Holy shit balls what are you doing?" But it turned out fine.

Yesterday I went to my friend Mary's house and had hamburgers cooked outside (yum) and watched one of the classic Christmas movies -- "You Don't Know Jack." I was fooled too and thought it was about Jack Frost but instead was about Jack Kevorkian (aka Dr. Death). Nothing says Merry Christmas like a movie about assisted suicides. Fa-la-la-la-la. But it was such a nice day just sitting around with friends and relaxing. And Freckles met their new dog Wally. Wally got her pretty excited and there was some running and jumping. Wally also wanted to do a little humping but Freckles wouldn't have anything to do with that.

So now it's back to reality of sorts. I hope you all had a good holiday too.

Oops - Sorry Maria

I just found out the Target Lady that I so despise is actually Maria Bamford a friend of mine from stand-up comedy days. I didn't recognize her at all. I love Maria -- she's funny and nice -- but I still hate those Target commercials.

I wrote yesterday about losing my Uncle Dick. I am extraordinarily lucky because I had a family that loved to laugh and had a great sense of humor. Not everyone can say that. So yesterday, when I was having a sad moment I think the Hirsch Humor Fairy came and tapped me on the shoulder (or the brain) because all of a sudden I heard that little voice in my head (not the little voice that tells me to run naked through the fields with a machete -- that's a different little voice) I heard that funny little voice in my head say "Gee you should have bought him some Christmas shoes." Oh the irony. That made me laugh.

My vacation starts today. I don't return to work until Jan 4 although I have a project to work on at home. It will be nice to have some time off. I can make a list of the resolutions I don't plan to keep for 2011.

The End of an Era

Well the Hirsch brothers are all together again. My Uncle Dick (on the left) passed away yesterday. I can almost imagine the fun of that reunion.

He was a good and kind man. He and my Aunt Betty always came to see me when I was in the Minnesota Fringe Festival and they were at my graduation party and my book launch party.

I am sad at the loss. He is the last of my dad's siblings -- the Greatest Generation. He had the Hirsch eyes and smile and I could see my dad in his face and now that is gone. It's kind of like losing my dad all over again.

I really miss my folks at Christmas time and especially my dad. He had such a childlike wonderment about the holidays. One year I remember he came home on Christmas Eve with gigantic bags from Target. He had decided to go out and buy a bunch of gifts himself, instead of leaving it up to mom. And oy, such gifts -- I remember a great sweater but there was also some pink ski goggles (I hadn't been skiing for years), a record album called "Hootenanny Hoot" that my dad was glad to take from me if I didn't want it, and one of those boxes with all the little drawers that people use to keep nails and bolts and such in. I wasn't sure why he got that for me but I did use it for jewelry or something like that. And he LOVED any gift he got. One year I crocheted (yes me, crocheting) everyone a hat and a scarf. Somewhere I have a picture of my dad wearing that hat -- which was way too small -- but he always wore it and the scarf because I made it for him.

Well goodbye Uncle Dick. I love you and will miss you.

Winter Time Is Here

Happiness and Cheer,
Fun for all,
That children call,
Their favorite time of year.
A Charlie Brown Christmas

I love that show. I love the fact that I was around the first time it was shown on television. It was always a must watch show every year. There were lots of Christmas Specials to watch -- not so many any more unless you count all the Hallmark and Lifetime movies about some woman who doesn't appreciate what she has or is looking for love in all the wrong places, or is going to meet Jesus and needs some fancy shoes for the trip. On Saturday, as a special holiday treat, TNT showed Titanic without commercials. Nothing says happy holidays like the sinking of a boat and the death of 1,500 people. Fa-la-la-la, I hope you can swim.

Of course I saw on PBS the show that looked at the Andy Williams Christmas Specials, which were also a must watch every year. It was clear to see why kids were all screwed up when it came to family. You watch the "perfect family" in their matching sweaters decorating the tree and singing carols and wonder what's wrong with your family. It wasn't until his ex-wife shot her lover that I finally was really able to relate to the Williams clan. I use to listen to my Andy Williams Christmas album in the basement and had created an entire special, staring me, based on this music. I think the best part was the Rockettes-styled dancing line performing to The Little Drummer Boy. It would have been a smash on Broadway for sure.

George? George? Where art thou George?

It's almost Christmas ... time to breakout the Christmas sweaters.

Last night I got all set-up to wrap the gifts I have to send today (yes, last minute of course) and I could not find the bag from Barnes & Noble. I looked everywhere. I went down to the garage and looked in my car and trunk -- three times. I looked in the closets. I looked in other bags. I looked EVERYWHERE. I decided I had left the bag at B&N, or I put it on top of the car when I was getting in and it fell off, or someone had come into my place and stole that one bag. I was distraught. I sat on the couch trying to decide what I was going to do and then I looked to my left and there it was, balancing on top of the couch kind of tucked into the cushion. I'm glad I didn't make my 911 call to report the theft of 3 Curious George books and a calendar about beagles.

Remember how tired we were of political ads and stories and then the Target lady? Well that's how tired I'm becoming of hearing about the Vikings game tonight at the U of M stadium and about the "coming" snow storm(s).

By the way, I haven't seen her on TV, but that Target lady is now on the radio. Thankfully there is a button I can push to go to a different station. I have a feeling she's about to return for the after Christmas sale. Oh the humanity.

Oops, I almost forgot

Sorry ... I had a doctor's appointment this morning and then I guess I just forgot. Oh well. I don't do that too often.

I stopped at Target on my way home and was going to pick up a couple gifts and I kept seeing things for me. That's not the way it's suppose to be. I actually didn't get anything for me but I sure know what I like and I'm easy to shop for.

I haven't even thought about Christmas Cards this year and I think I'm going to pass on sending them. I usually send one every year but I'll blame going to school on the fact that I was too busy. That sounds much more noble than I was too busy watching TV and playing computer games to do my cards this year.

I had someone stop me and ask if they could take a picture of my car. I have reindeer antlers on it. I'll take a picture and post it here. I have discovered two things about having reindeer antlers on your car 1) people are actually nicer drivers to me - it's as if they are afraid not to let a car that is so jolly merge in front of them; and 2) I'm less likely to be a crazy driver because I am driving a jolly car and jolly cars do not flip people off.

Have a good weekend. No snow!!!!!

Christmas Queen

I have another song to add to my favorite Christmas songs: Christmas Queen by Miss Piggy. In fact, the Muppets Red and Green Christmas CD is worth the money. The Christmas Smorgasbord with the Swedish Chef is totally worth the price too.

Last night I learned that my uncle had a heart attack and stroke and has been taken off of life support. I am so sad. He's the last surviving member of my dad's family. I was at the 60th anniversary party for him and my aunt last summer -- so glad I went to that. He's a good person and I'll miss him. It's especially hard to lose someone at the holidays. Last year my friends Geri and Mary both lost their moms within a week of each other.

Well that was a downer, huh? Okay let's end on a brighter note. Last night when I got off the bus I was trying to get onto the sidewalk but the passage was a hill. I kept trying to get up and I get sliding down. Tried again, again I slid down. On the third try I made it to the top and fell down trying to go down the other side. I felt like an incompetent mountain goat. Thankfully last night the city plowed the sidewalk on the other side of the street where the park is so I can walk there tonight. Of course all the way home after my "incident" the song "High on the hill was a longely goater, lady-oh a lady-oh a lady hoo" from Sound of Music kept going through my head. That's the one song from that movie that I can't stand. Perhaps tonight I'll be singing "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria" or "The Christmas Queen."

Glasses and Classes and Snow Up To Our [fill in the blank]

We had a sunglasse decorating contest at work and I WON ... yippee. Who would have thought I would ever win a craft contest. I had to get out my glue gun that a friend gave me and I burned myself twice (remember I once said there should be a 7 day waiting period before you can buy a glue gun). But it was worth it to look like an idiot and win a contest.

I'm also done with my classes. Yippee. Of course now I have to try to use what I learned. It was a lot to learn in a short amount of time (although it didn't feel like a short amount of time -- 14 weeks).

My favorite was Flash -- no it doesn't involve a trench coat. I'm working on a winter scene and when I've finished it I'll post it here. It's the kind of thing I could spend hours and hours on and love every minute. I may have found something new to do with my life.

And more snow is coming. How thrilled are we about that?

Up In The Air It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Zen Dog

This is a snapshot from the webcam at Downtown Dogs where Freckles is spending the day. If you look on top of the blue ramp on the left you will see Freckles looking off into the distance where all the other dogs are. It is hysterical to watch her during the day because while all the other dogs are following the person in the room where he or she goes, Freckles finds a place to plant herself and just watch. Yes, I think she's the Doggie Lama -- Zen on three legs.

I am pleased to announce that after fighting and begging and wishing for almost a year and a half (since July 2009) I finally got my escrow refund check yesterday. I refinanced in 2009 and received a nice hunk of money back on my escrow account. I put it in the bank and the same day the mortgage company filed for bankruptcy and all their funds were frozen ... including my money. The check came back NSF and since then I have had to dig and claw to find out which of the institutions that took over the mortgages had taken my mortgage (or at least my leftover mortgage) and then to get a check from them. It couldn't have come at a better time. It also couldn't have come at a worse time. I put it in my savings account but I'm so tempted to go to Jamaica and never return. I think I would look great with rastafarian hair, don't you?????

Okay, You Can Look Now

Here's my short hair. Oh well, it'll grow back, but boy is it easy to wash/dry but boy is it cold on my neck.

I'm hoping the bus will be on time this morning. But I know it will be crowded with people who don't normally take the bus unless there has been a blizzard. I hate those people because they are sitting in my seat and they are most likely to complain about riding the bus. Get off the bus you creeps!!!!!

Freckles is enjoying the snow/cold and from what I can tell she's the only one around here. We had a tow truck get stuck so another tow truck had to come and get it out. I was waiting for that truck to get stuck and then have another tow truck -- kind of like those nesting dolls.

Well wish me luck on not having to wait too long for a bus.

Don't Look At Me

I got my hair cut yesterday and it is way too short. I look like a pinhead. I'm just glad my hair grows fast.

Last night I was so tired I fell asleep watching The Office and didn't wake up until almost 10:00. When I did wake up I couldn't find Freckles. I finally found her laying on her blanket in the bedroom. I discovered why she was hiding. We usually go "out" at 9:00 and poor girl just couldn't wait for me to return to the living world so she had a little accident and she felt bad so she ran away. She looked so relieved that I wasn't mad at her. When we went to bed she almost slept on top of me. Dogs are so great.

The weather people are having orgasms over the potential "snow storm" coming our way tonight. They really need to calm down. You know the grocery stores are going to be crowded tonight with people getting provisions. I've never really understood that. I mean the longest you may be stuck in your home is a day or possibly two. People buy enough food for a week. We aren't living on the prairie people. But I'm sure companies like Cub, Rainbow, and Lund's love to hear about snow storms because they know there will be tons of money coming their way.

It's almost the weekend. Enjoy it no matter what the weather is. Now I have to go shopping for a warm hat, I don't have much to keep my head warm any more.

RIP Elizabeth

What do you think she is thinking? I know what I'd be thinking and I know he'd be walking funny for a very long time. Well in the end she was the hero and he was and is the villain.

I felt sad when I heard she passed. I especially feel for her kids. They are too young to lose a parent. I lost my dad when I was 25 and that was way too young. I hate cancer and what it does to people and their bodies. I wish there were no diseases and that everyone just simply died of old age. Or that like the Eskimos, at a certain age we just climb on an iceberg and float off to sea, probably to end up as dinner for a polar bear. Not a bad idea, it's kind of like recycling. Okay -- how did I get on this subject? Yikes.

I would like to point out that there are only 15 days to Christmas and I have done NO SHOPPING. This Saturday I will be cashing in my bucket of coins and going shopping. Every year I practice what Suzi Orman calls paying only with paper. I only use dollar bills to pay for things and all my change goes into a bucket I have at home. Last year I had over $300 and this year I think I'll top that. It's a pretty easy way to save money if you can resist the temptation to cash in early. The only problem is it is really heavy. I have to put it in my rolling suitcase to take it to the bank. I think when the security cameras see me coming they put their fingers on the panic button thinking I've come to fill my suitcase with money rather than to empty my suitcase of money. But it is fun to put into the coin counting machine and watch the numbers get higher and higher. Last year I had a small group gather to watch with me. Obviously these were people who were desperate for entertainment.

Well time to brave the frozen tundra and take Freckles for her morning toilette.

Just A Chillin' Dog

Have I mentioned that I have a dog?

Yesterday I took Freckles to doggie day care. They have installed new software so the web cam where you can watch your dog during the day is so much better. And there was Freckles, laying on her bed in the middle of the room. Dogs were running by her on all sides, some even hopped up and off the bed in their pursuit of each other and there was Freckles, just laying there chilling and watching the action.

I wonder what she is thinking. I don't know if she's just mellow or kind of depressed. I worry about such things. I just don't know if she's happy; I wish I could read her mind. I like to think she is simply content. While others around her need to be busy and chasing after each other she is just fine the way she is. Now that I think about it, she's kind of a Zen dog. Perhaps she was a Buddhist monk in a previous life. Perhaps she was Gandhi -- she does have a strange resemblance to Ben Kingsley.

Grasshopper ... feed me another Snausage.

Happy BD BFF

Happy birthday to my BFF Annie. She is turning 32 today although she doesn't like to admit how "old" she is getting.

Annie and I met at work and have been friends for over 7 years now. Most Friday nights we get together to play Uno (she beats me 90% of the time), eat some delicious meal I've prepared such as Messy Marys (aka Sloppy Joes) and watch a movie. We are Best Friends Forever! This is a picture of us at one of our firm's holiday parties. Earlier that day we had gone and had manicures so not only do you see our smiling faces but our lovely nails.

Today is also the second to the last night of classes -- yippee. I grew tired of this weekly ritual about three classes ago. Don't tell, but sometimes when I get bored during class I surf the internet. I discovered that if I sit in the last row, way over in the corner, I can actually do anything I want. I use to go to a website that would post what was happening on the elimination round of Dancing With The Stars. I had to stop doing that when Bristol Palin kept getting voted through. Now I just check Facebook and my email.

But my real concern is now that the school year is almost over -- will I get asked to the winter dance?

Why Am I Such A Misfit?

That's Sue S, Sue G-K, Peter and moi. Many years ago we got together to fly a kite. We should do that again.

We all worked together at Norwest (now Wells Fargo) back in 1998 and we've been friends ever since (well actually we just humor Peter and let him think he's a friend). Last night we got together for our annual Reindeer Games. We watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and eat and do a lot of laughing. And this year was no exception. There was the usual discussion about why the doll was on the Island of Misfit Toys when she didn't have any obvious flaws. I believe she has syphilis or perhaps is on the run from the law. Peter suggested she would make a great "don't let this happen to you" doll with various symptoms that I won't discuss here. And Sue S, well Sue S said, as Yukon Cornelius went over the cliff with the Bumble Monster, "Aren't we going to see Cornelius again?" We've watched this movie every year for probably five or six years and she doesn't remember the plot!!! This is the same person who said at the beginning of the movie "Are we going to watch this again?" Apparently Sue we can watch it over and over again because you don't remember the plot!!! Sue G-K has three children 9, 6, and almost 2 and she just comes now to get away from the chaos that is her home and to eat pizza. We know we are just an excuse but that's okay -- we don't mind being used. She is also the one that had to write me a check for $9 towards the pizza. I don't think I can recall anytime when Sue has cash. I'm not sure why. And Peter, well you have to experience an evening with Peter to really understand. At one point he went all around the living room pressing the button to make all my various Christmas characters talk or sing or dance. And he follows me out to get the pizza wearing Freckles elf hat on his gigantic bald head. He scares me.

It was a fun night. Everyone should have a great group of friends like that.

Happy Birthday Mom

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. I'll always know that date because on December 6, 1941 my mom turned 15 and she was given a cashmere sweater for her birthday. She wore it the next day to school and had it on when everyone was called into the gymnasium to be told about Pearl Harbor. My mom said she could never wear that sweater again without remembering that horrible day. She told me 50 years later that she never really forgave the Japanese for attacking us. I think it had a lot to do with that sweater.

Well happy birthday mom, wherever you may be. I know your spirit is with me -- haunting me at times -- I love you a miss you.

I Love It / I Hate It

Well I've broken out the holiday outfits. Today's is a nice Christmas green with big-ass snowflakes all over it. It is accessorized with a nice pair of green socks with reindeer prancing about. Oh the holidays.

So I was listening to holiday music on KOOL 108 last night in the car and they started playing a song that I absolutely hate. So today is my list of holiday songs I can't stand:

1. The Christmas Shoes where that guy goes into a store and the kid wants to buy a pair of shoes for his mom before she meets Jesus tonight. Exchange the shoes for a 6-pack of beer and Jesus for Bubba and you'd have a great story.

2. The 12 Days of Christmas that goes on and on and on and on. The only version I like is by the Muppets.

3. The Little Drummer Boy. Pa-rum-pum-pum-bummer.

4. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve -- I'm sitting at home eating ice cream and watching some crap on television like 90% of the world.

5. O Tannenbaum sung in German. I can't help but get the feeling that somewhere in those lyrics is something that says "Look out Poland we're about to invade you."

My favorite songs:

1. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree -- just makes you want to get up off your chair and dance.

2. Let It Be Christmas -- a song by Alan Jackson. If you've never heard it download it on iTunes or go to YouTube and listen to it but close your eyes because they show "W" and Laura and "W" looks like he is constipated.

3. Mary Did You Know? -- beside the fact my name is in the title, I like the message

4. The Christmas Song, especially by Nat King Cole. It is such a pretty and warm song.

5. Feliz Navidad -- love that song. Of course I can't help but think of the fact that someone on the radio said that their kid thought the song was saying "Police shot my dog." Listen to it and you'll understand how a kid can get that idea.

I could list 100 favorite Christmas songs, but I guess I have to take Freckles for a walk and go to work.

Mary With Your Nose So Bright ...

Do I really need to make any comment????

I was going through my Christmas stuff and I forgot about this. I love Rudolph. My friends Peter, Sue and Sue and I are getting together on Sunday to watch the movie and play reindeer games.

The question every year is the same ... why is the doll on the island of misfit toys? We are never told. I believe she has syphilis but I'm open to other reasons.

When I was a kid I watched the special every year and every year I was scared of the Abominable even when I knew what would happen. It's like those damn monkeys in the Wizard of Oz -- I still hate those monkeys.

I Need That Like A Hole In My Bread

I got to the end of my loaf of bread and all the slices had this big hole in it. It still makes great toast AND a nice fashion accessory.

Last night I finished another class in my series of web design classes -- Flash I. No, we aren't learning how to expose ourselves in your local parks -- we are learning how to make those fun banners and such that you see on websites. It is actually a lot of fun. But the best news is I only have one class left -- two more weeks. Every Tuesday night for 3-1/2 hours since September. It seems like a lifetime ago. This is one of those "overview" classes and I'm going to have to sit down and go through the books and notes and learn a lot of this all over again but it's kind of fun to understand how websites are built. If you want to see for yourself, go to "View" on your browser and choose Page Source. You will see all the code that goes into building the site. It's amazing.

What I'm most thrilled about is I'm still in the class. There were a few times, especially when I was trying to learn HTML, that I thought I'd quit, but I didn't. There is one man in the class who is probably in his early 70s and is taking the class to "expand his mind." I asked him last night if he feels his mind is expanding and he told me he thought it was about to explode.

Well, welcome to the first day of December. It's time to take our heart worm pill -- well for Freckles to take her heart worm pill. Bottom's up!