The view of the backyard
If you were to look up the phrase “rude awakening”, you’d probably see a my picture. In the last 7 years, I have become very accustomed to California winters. I use the word “winter” loosely. For folks living in Southern California, temperatures in the 60-degree range is considered frigid. Winter means you might not be able to wear flip-flops for a little while and actually wear shoes with socks. {Oh the horror!} My tastes of real winter weather were limited to a few days a year when I would fly out to Virginia for the holidays. At the end of these holidays, I’d happily head back to warm, sunny L.A. With this in mind, this winter has been a shock. I flew out of L.A. with temps in the 70s. I stepped on the tarmac in Virginia to temps in the 20s. BIG DIFFERENCE.
I’ve adjusted as best as I can, but I have had one complaint. If it’s going to be that freakin’ cold, we should have snow. For those that are not familiar with Virginia Beach, the relative warmth of the nearby Atlantic Ocean prevents most snow from accumulating. The flakes will fall from the sky, only to melt or turn into ice when it gets to the ground. They predicted heavy snowfall on Friday, which I did not believe.
Yardstick to show how much snow had fallen
I should have listened. Inches and inches of snow fell. In our neighborhood, approximately 10 inches of snow was on the ground. I was giddy. With my two nephews Franky and Ethan visiting and Myles, my excitement was amplified threefold. So, we all geared up and headed out to play in the snow. Of course, I had my camera in tow. Here are some of the images I captured.
The view of our street
I know I'm short, but the snow came up above my ankles!
Front of the house
View of the back of the house
Me and my trusty Nikon D80 with my makeshift all-weather camera case
My bro Nate braves the cold
My nephew Franky and me
My nephew Ethan and me
Myles and me - photo by Nate
The snow was so deep that Myles had to leap through it like a bunny
Myles and I pose for a picture... until he decides that it's more fun to eat the snow
Ethan contemplates what to do with his snowball...
After playing in the snow, which lasted about 30 minutes, we all felt like this…
This is Myles. Yup… That’s right. This is Myles. I have my very own account because I have my own thoughts and opinions. I know you’re looking at me and you wondering… Hey! Isn’t that the dog from “Frasier”. Sorry, nope. That’s a Jack Russel Terrier. If you’re still wondering why I look so familiar, this is what I’ll look like when I’m all grown up.
photo by Shine Pet Photos
Still can’t figure it out? My breed, the Wire Fox Terrier was in the Thin Man movies. The dog in those movies was named Asta.
My breed was also in “Bringing Up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.
Can you tell my momma enjoys old movies?
Snowy from the Tintin books is also a Wire Fox Terrier.
Someday maybe I’ll get “discovered” and someone will put in me in a movie. To any casting directors out there, I’m willing to work for treats.
Apparently, Myles is more popular than me. It figures. I’ve been usurped by a puppy. I’ve received several messages requesting more photos and more updates on my little Wire Fox Terrier. I suspect that a good percentage of my blog traffic is generated by people who want to see Myles. So, I’ll oblige with a monthly Myles Report.
This month Myles is 4 months old and has been with me for a little over a month.
The first thing I’ve discovered is that my little pup is NOT camera-shy. He loves it… except when I wake him up from a nap for an impromptu photo shoot.
He is very expressive with lots of personality, which makes for great shots. If I was still in L.A., I would pimp him out for commercials. Shoot! I have no shame. I’d fly back to L.A. with him if a commercial gig paid well-enough.
He started doing this new thing where he puts one ear up and leaves the other down while he’s listening or is inquisitive.
This month also saw the departure of my Aunt Aning whom he absolutely adores. For days after she left, he roamed the house looking for her.
He also got some serious grooming. First we got a double-bladed Furminator, which yielded this pile of fur.
If that wasn’t enough, I took him to a professional {read:hack} groomer. I can’t fully express how upset I was at the result. The poor guy has thin and bald patches! Thankfully, a strongly worded letter garnered me a full refund.
Myles lost all the cute scruffiness that I love. My friends had to remind me that it’ll grow back. Once it does, I’ll find someone more qualified to do the groom him. In the meantime, he’ll be rocking some sweaters.
That’s all for this month. Maybe next month, I’ll let Myles write the post.
iPhone picture
iPhone pic
Me, Cicely & Neleh - 08/07
I have known Neleh (pronounced Nellie) since we were in our teens. We’ve celebrated many birthdays together. Although in the last couple of years because of the distance, our celebrations have turned into the calls and emails variety. This year is different. Since I’m back in our hometown, I received an invitation to a small Birthday shindig at Neleh’s home and happily accepted.
Since Neleh is also a highly creative individual, I decided that I was going to make Neleh’s birthday gift. Because the Craftista Utility Apron was so well-received in the EAD Holiday Swap, I decided to make one for Neleh. After all, I had a brand new sewing machine that I was dying to take for a spin. I carefully selected heavyweight fabrics in colors and a pattern that I thought Neleh would like and went to work.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the apron finished in time for the party, but she enjoyed the apron nonetheless. Here are some self-portraits she sent me.
photo by Neleh S.
photo by Neleh S.
The potluck shindig at Neleh’s was lively. She had a photobooth setup in her studio, which produced hilarious results.
Neleh & her husband Shane
photo borrowed from Facebook
photo borrowed from Facebook
My contribution to the party was Compostable Cups made of Corn in honor of Neleh’s 365 project. Neleh discusses the cups at length on her blog.
photo by Neleh S.
Aside from the people guests, she also included pets in her invitation. So, I brought Myles, who was the life of the party. He even got in some photobooth pics with the birthday girl.
Of course, I couldn’t resist hoping in the booth with Myles. I didn’t hear about the props. I guess Myles is cute enough to count as prop… Maybe?
Christmas arrived late. Then again, it always arrives late. I think it has to do with the fact that my Santa is very frugal and shops the after Christmas sales. Here’s my loot.
Cuisinart Micro Food Processor
Here the craziest part of my post-Christmas stash. I carefully selected each item and I love all of it. {For those that have known me for a long time, I’ll give you a minute to collect yourselves.} When I see it all laid out, even I am a tad surprised. The list is so…um.. domestic. Most of my newlywed friends caught the domestic bug after they got married. I suspect the wedding gifts are a source of newfound domestication. Apparently, I didn’t get the memo. I am becoming more domesticated now that I’m separated. Working with my hands to create things is very therapeutic. Although, let’s not get excited. I’m not going to be giving Martha Stewart a run for her money nor will I be auditioning for Top Chef. I will be whipping up some tasty meals and be sending all sort of miscellaneous gifts to my friends. Just don’t expect me to bake. That’s still not going to happen.
Just so I don’t stray too far from my gadget girl core, I picked up an iPod nano 5G. After all, what kind of holiday would it be if there were no electronics?
January 20, 2010
We all rolled out of bed {at what some of us consider an ungodly hour} in honor of my nephew Ethan’s 6th Birthday. The Birthday boy decided that he wanted to have breakfast at IHOP.
Ethan with his big bro Franky - iPhone picture
Happy and chipper birthday guests
More happy, chipper birthday guests
My Viva La French Toast Breakfast - iPhone picture
Before we could finish eating, the birthday boy tore open some gifts. The theme for this year’s gifts is G.I. Joe.
Ethan shows his mom Cathee his gift
Ethan cracks a smile with his dad Chris
Ethan received my gifts after I got a nap and he got home from school. I bought him a gift that the 6 year old version of myself would have killed for – 150 pack of crayons, 64 pack of colored pencils, 12 pack of scented markers and a 75 ft. roll of paper. The kid was in heaven and promptly went to work on his next masterpiece.
At the end of the day, I think Ethan had a good birthday… He left behind the mess to prove it.
After the big project my brother Nate and I undertook last summer, our mom has become enamored with home remodel projects. She had a laundry list of things she wanted done to the house. As the oh-so-brilliant person {read:sucker} who got the ball rolling, I have been tasked with “making magic happen”. For Mom’s birthday, I decided to do a minor revamp of the hall bathroom… by myself. Mom, Dad and Nate were conveniently out-of-town.
Thankfully, Nate and I had already started the bathroom last summer. We had taken down the wallpaper, washed and sanded the walls. Here’s what it looked like when I started.
It was a bit daunting. The walls had some earlier wall mold and water damage. The bathroom had a 3.5 foot by 5 foot mirror that needed to be removed. I put my iPod on and went ahead with the job. After a day and half of work, here’s how it turned out.
It’s amazing what a little paint, new shower curtain, and updated mirror can do. Mom loved it…. but of course, the job isn’t completely done. She’s now on the hunt for a new light fixture, faucet and toilet. In addition, she wants the cabinets repaired. Ahhh… my work is never done. I’m just glad the boss {mom} is happy with my work and I still have a job 
I signed up for Elizabeth Anne Design’s Holiday Swap. These were the parameters that Cyd and Ami setup:
All gifts are to be handmade and accompanied by a recipe that either relates to the gift or is in some way is special to you at the holidays. The term “handmade” can be creatively defined to suit your skill level and time availability – for some of you it might be an ornament that looks like Martha herself spent hours laboring over it and for others it might be a bakery box filled with brownies. It’s entirely up to you! Gifts need to be mailed no later than December 15 (earlier please – I suggest December 1 – if your swap buddy lives across an ocean from you) and should be accompanied by your name so your new friend knows who sent them their favorite gift of the season. We’ll do this Secret Santa style so no one will know who is sending them a gift until it arrives. Fun, no?
As luck would have it, my swap partner was Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo of ABCD Design. I have to say I was a bit intimidated since the lovely Mrs. Dragoo is a woman of discerning taste. I decided to use some of my newfound sewing skills. I found this great book for newbie sewists.
After careful thought, I decided to make a craft apron for Amy to use in her many crafty and creative pursuits. I headed to Ikea and found the perfect fabric.
I borrowed a friend’s sewing machine and went to work. In my excitement, I forgot to photograph the process. {Not to worry, I made another apron and will blog it later.} Here is what I mailed.
I failed at reading directions because I forgot to send Amy a recipe. When I find a good one, I’ll need to send it her way.
Julia received me as a swap partner. She sent me a recipe and a batch of delicious granola. It was so good that I neglected to photograph it. I was really bad with the camera this holiday season.
photo by Julia H.
I guess the California livin’ has really gotten to me because I really, really enjoyed it. This swap inspired more handmade goodness. More to come…
As I said before when it was decided that Dottie was going to stay in Los Angeles, I was inconsolable. I couldn’t sleep. I contemplated life sans canine. It felt like a grim existence. Move back to the ‘burbs. I was okay. Ending the marriage. Not great, but livable. Lose the dog? That was a disaster. On one of those sleepless nights, I did a google image search for Wire Fox Terriers. I’d always wanted one and I thought a little daydreaming might help me relax. One thing led to another and I stumbled across this photo.
Myles at 3 weeks
I saw the picture and fell in love. His name was Cody and he was in Kentucky. I emailed the link to Cicely and Pamela. They both went gaga over him too. I fawned over the photo. Then, I felt guilty. I love Dottie and felt like I was betraying her in some way by even considering another dog. It’s silly I know, but I couldn’t help it. I tried to forget about the cute little guy.
Eventually, I told my family that I wouldn’t be bringing Dottie with me to Virginia. Everyone was disappointed. My dad and brother Nate have been not-s0-secretly wanting a dog for years and they thought that Dottie would be the fulfillment of a dream. Because they knew how much Dottie meant to me, my family encouraged me to think about getting another dog. My parents were treating me like a 10 year-old that lost the Spelling Bee. I thought about rescuing another Pitbull, but given my living situation it was highly impractical. Big dog in a household that was not used to dogs larger than 20 lbs? I did not want to push my luck. On a whim, I emailed the breeder that had the cute puppy in the photo. I started looking at Wire Fox Terrier Rescues. Because of my unusual living arrangements (Soon-to-be Divorcee who’s moving in with her folks), I found I was a poor candidate for animal rescue. With the pages and pages of forms, there was no way to explain my situation. In the interim, the breeder with the cute puppy sent me more pictures.
Myles at 4 weeks
Myles at 6 weeks
I was a goner. Then, I found out his parents were named Bruiser (AKC name Cruisin’ for a Bruisin) and Cali (AKC California Dreamin’). It’s hard to explain, but it felt like kismet. Cicely encouraged me to buy him. I couldn’t do it. As cute as he was, the guilt was overwhelming. It seemed too soon to get another dog. I felt also bad about getting a dog from a breeder. So, she forced my hand. She told me that the puppy was going to be my Christmas gift. I told her it was too generous a gift. She retorted that it was her “Divorce Gift” since she didn’t get to throw me a Bridal Shower. That was that. Cody was going to be my pup and he was going to be renamed Myles. Myles seemed like an old soul. It seemed fitting to name him after one of my favorite Jazz Musicians, Miles Davis. Myles also seemed to be a good choice because we’d be traveling miles and miles together.
According to the breeder, he’d be ready for pickup right after Thanksgiving. It seemed perfect because I could pick him up from the breeder on my planned cross-country road trip. I ran into some snafus with my travel plans. Instead of driving to get him, I would be flying out to get him. The breeder was going to meet me at the airport in Nashville, Tennessee. This was interesting. I had never flown with a dog before let alone a puppy. I was nervous. A million what-if’s ran through my head.
Then, the day came where I was supposed to pick him. I saw him and I was sure he was meant to be my new canine companion.
Myles with the breeder - iPhone pic
My living, breathing carry-on (iPhone pic)
Someone is NOT happy about being in the bag. (iPhone pic)
Myles is a trooper. He went from riding in the car in a crate to being put on a bag on a plane. Thankfully, our first trip together went fairly smoothly… except when I jostled his carrier a little too much and he vomited in the bag. {Bad dog momma, I know} The plane trip was relatively uneventful. He was so quiet during the flights with exception of a bumpy landing. At that point, he howled his displeasure.
We got home and he met some of the family.
Myles with Ethan (iPhone pic)
Myles with Grandma
Myles with Franky (iPhone pic)
This is how the generosity of my best friend Cicely brought a new member of the family.
The Earthquake that occurred in Haiti is heartbreaking to watch on the news. I feel compelled to share this info. It’s times like this that I wish I had medical training.
Anne K.
Myles K.
