Nessie here I come

Scottish music is soothing to me - I think it is all the years I spent when I was younger in the curling club with my parents and bagpipers.

Also if you had an extra day in paris would you take a day trip to Monet's garden? Euro Disney or a long day trip to see Mont St. Michel?

day 228

I finally joined a gym here...but today I'm to tired to go. I really need to get Ana to sleep during the night.

day 227

Just a little stressed over insurance - if you can believe they still don't have parts of my stuff insured and I started this in Oct.

Please give me suggestions for new insurance companies.

Also I'm trying to figure out what to do about a trip to europe and my life. That has been keeping up at night :)

226

Yesterday I decided to give the girls a bath. Here are some images from my adventure. I know if Joe was watching he would have been impressed that I was being the pack leader and not talking baby talk to her. Calm and assertive...

Ana staring at the bag of Bolonge

Ana trying to make an escape as I took a photo

Ana after I toweled dried her-then came the hair dryer

Not sure what she is up to here but I love the way her tail is now. I wasn't to happy with how it looked before stringy and thin but now it is fluffy and full.

day 226

Sorry for the late post. I was tired last night after Ana's first shy/fearful of humans class. Her class went good. Meaning I got her harnessed, in the car and at the class and then home.

She just sat most of the class under my chair. She wasn't the only one sitting under the chairs of their owners. There was a huge German Shepherd trying to squeeze his way under the small chairs. The other one was a really small wiener dog.

The aggressive dogs were a huge huge great Dane dog (or horse) that wanted to attack the Chihuahua. Then there was a black lab that kept lunging at people.

This should be a very interesting class.

Also yesterday I found this new product called anti-stress calming spray for pets. I sprayed it on Ana's bed last night and she was out like a light and also on her bed downstairs now and she is just laying there like a perfect dog. This product really works...

225

I know I have mentioned this movie before but I can't stop watching it. The movie is P.S. I love You.

Since mid october when I finally got cable & HBO I have now watched it 5 times that includes 2 time this weekend. There are parts in it that make me laugh and others that I totally see my life in. At least now I can watch the whole movie with out being a total mess.

The strange thing is that each time I watch it I find or hear things I didn't before - that could be cause I'm not totally crying through the whole thing again. It is kind of like theropy I think.

Anyway my point is that if your ever in the mood to laugh and cry rent it and think of me.

Just know that we never had a fight before he died, I was never left alone to lay in bed but I did get to finally dance and sing around in my underwear not his and I'm 40 not 30.

day 223

So I'm not sure if I'm going to do the kitchen this year. I think I'm going to landscape my yard, I met with the designer yesterday and this is what she came up with.

Back Yard

Front Yard

The whole job

day 222

I'm starting to sell Joe's biking stuff now. I got rid of the rims and brought the trainer to a bike shop to sell. Now I'm just working on the bikes. I guy is coming over tomorrow to see if he is interested in them.

Then I'm going to make this room my exercise room, and get the stuff out of my living room.

Next the motorcycles any one want to be a Harley Davidson 2001 sportster xl all upgraded and hardly any miles.

really!

You will never believe what Joe's parents did now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I need a blog where nobody knows me and I can just vent away - cause if you can believe this there are people out there that don't believe I thing I'm saying and say there is a reason for all the stuff they are doing.

REALLY?? and you say your a friend of Joe's. I watched ghost again this last weekend maybe they will be haunted like the bad friend was in the movie and be a believer.

enough said for today and I feel better thanks for reading.

train accident

I'm not sure if you heard about the crash in Brussels today but it was bad. One of my friends that I took french with lived in Halle and took this train to class. I hope that she wasn't on that train.

Sorry this is in french but this is the best video I found for you guys. There is one of all the people in Paris and Brussels stuck because the high speed trains are delayed till further notice.

day 219

I'm a little behind on uploading my photos from my phone to my computer. Here are some random photos.

Ana

Foxy wanting her bed back - Ana has decided it is hers

After her anal problem leaving the U of M vet

When I just had my hair done in NYC at Rita Hazan salon

day 216

Happy Valentines weekend or presidents weekend however you want to look at it. No much planned this weekend. I have never been a fan of Valentines day. The way I look at it is if you need one day a year to remind you to do do something nice or buy me something don't bother. I think you should be able to take me out to dinner, be nice and surprise me 365 days of the year not just one day of the year.

Joe never believe that I felt this way so would always give me good presents, not that I minded. My first Valentines day when we were dating he gave me a trip to New York City with him. I figured after a weekend alone with him we didn't irritate each other so we might be on to something here. :) Last year you might remember he got me my Leica camera.

I'm planning on watching this movie this weekend, I can't think of a better movie to watch this weekend Then sometime next week going to Valentines day movie in the theater which takes place in LA another good movie to see the week.

notice the top of the heart is the skyline of NYC.

about the movie:
A companion piece to Paris, je t'aime, this valentine to New York cleverly blends nearly a dozen love stories, each presented by a different filmmaker. From Central Park to Brooklyn and Queens, each tale features the Big Apple as a central character. The writer-directors include Natalie Portman and Brett Ratner, and the cast features Shia LaBeouf, James Caan, Julie Christie, Christina Ricci, Ethan Hawke and dozens more.

I did see Paris, je t'aime and liked it.

day 215

Saturday and Sunday I took the girls for a car ride. It went much better than the first time I took Ana. I really can't believe how much they like there dog seats. When I got Foxy's in LA I thought ohhh this is going to be a problem but she loves it.

Please don't take my photo

If you look at Ana's mouth she is sticking her tongue out at someone. I guess I need to start teaching manners.

I didn't notice this till I got home and looked at the photo on the computer. I guess she is starting to think she is better than other people and dogs now. Imagine what she would do if she could fit in Foxy's Gucci coat.

I don't know why she hates cameras it is really funny I start talking her picture and she turns away.

Foxy

I just dropped Foxy off at the U of M hospital. She has to get all but 3 teeth pulled. I told her if she see's "daddy" to run the other way not to him.

Joe never wanted her to go under to have her teeth cleaned - either did I but now her teeth are soo bad they need to be pulled. I guess she had her baby teeth and the adult teeth came in too so she had to many teeth for a small mouth and no other vet ever said anything about that.

day 214

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts

This was my first recipe I made from "the kind diet" by Alicia Silverstone the book I have been reading. It was soo good I have made it a couple time now. I even gave some away so friends could try it that is how good it is.

Serves 2

1 cup Quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup of pinenuts

1 generous handful of fresh basil leaves chopped

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. I pan-roast the rinsed quinoa until it's golden before boiling for a nuttier flavor. This is an option you don't have to do this if you don't want to. You do have to rinse them though.

Chop the basil or tear.

Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, heat the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until the nuts are just starting to turn golden, shaking or stirring frequently to prevent burning. Transfer to a serving bowl to cool.

Add the quinoa to the serving bowl with the pine nuts and fluff with a fork. Add the olive oil and basil, stir to combine, and serve.

Yummy!

day 213

Did I go to Paris over the weekend? No not this weekend, but looks like it doesn't it. I found these in Whole Foods freezer section. I'm getting a little more comfortable in that store now. Joe would never let me look at everything they had. They are actually just as good if not better then the frozen ones I would buy in Brussels. Which is the next best thing to getting a fresh one in France or Belgium. Just don't get one in Rome but that is another story.

Here is what he box looks like if you want to try them.

You have to take them out at night and let them rise in the oven overnight, plus I put an egg wash on them too.

day 212

You can see the one in my forehead and I have 2 in each ear which you can barely see. It was taken by my doctor on my iphone that is why it isn't very clear phone's don't take good photos.

One pin in my hand-my knuckles look so much better don't you think?

Here are some photos from my acupuncture session. It really is amazing the swelling and pain went away right away. I had a little pain on Friday before my next session but nothing to what it was before. My hands look and feel normal again. Not to mention that they are not ice cold and neither are my feet anymore. They get cold but are not permanently ice cold and blue.

My Girls!

Here are the girls out in the snow. Not that you really want to see them pee but the rest is really cute. Also notice Ana's tail is now up and curled, it use to be down then straight up.

day 209

In my flirting with being a vegetarian/vegan (also no sugar) I went to the store to get some food. I actually made one of the recipes from the book the kind diet and it soo good I made it again. I need room for all this new stuff so I actually dropped off some food with my friends and some beer that was left over from the Vikings party. I have no room in my fridge or kitchen until I remodel.

I also had my first soy hot chocolate at Caribou. That wasn't bad either but then I added whipped cream and chocolate toppings which were bad I'm guessing.

Don't worry I will never be a true vegetarian/vegan because I love expensive leather shoes and lets not forget my obsession with real fur no fake fur for me.

Anytime this snow can stop...

day 208

Yesterday I also had an interview for a part time job at Louis Vuitton. They are opening a new store in the Galleria. However because how popular the store is they have a ton of applications so it was just a pre-interview to screen out some of the people before the district manager interviews people.

Not sure when I should tell her that I need some time off before the store opens for the trial...

day 207

Today I'm trying acupuncture. I will let you know how it feels to be a human pin cushion.

I'm also flirting with being a vegetarian/vegan. I will also keep you posted on this. I'm reading the book the kind diet by Alicia Silverstone so far it is pretty good she has lots of recipes that I can't wait to try in the book too.

day 206

Ana update. She is progressing slowly but she is improving. Here are some examples of her antics.

Saturday we went for a walk and she was starring at this guy running down the road with a dog. I just thought she never saw that before...while when we turned around to go back home she decided she wanted to run too. So we ran all the way home.

Last night we were watching a movie and she was laying next to me (I was on the floor she doesn't want to come up on the coach) and half way through she put her head on my leg and slept for a while.

This morning I could hear my nocturnal friend stirring around but I thought she was on the left side of the bed, but she was on the right side. Why this is strange I block the end of the bed so her and Foxy can walk all around the bed because I have my new good rug under my bed and I moved it up stairs from the dinning room cause I didn't want them peeing on it. While Ana discover during the night how to go under the bed.

Just FYI Scott, BA and Bob you might have to come and move the rug again :)

This morning she was so excited to go outside and run around but she runs a little funny her front legs go sideways or straight out from her body not in the front. Poor little girl she looks like one of the baby animals trying to walk for the first time when she runs I think she will adjust maybe when she gets use to it.

That is the Ana update for now...next adventures to come a bath and another car ride.

dr. oz

Tuesday the Dr. Oz show I attend in NYC will air. The people to the right of me are the ones that got me in as a VIP.

day 205

When I was putting this in here it did the super large text...oh that would have been funny you guys would have thought I lost my mind.

The trial is to start March 23.

SAN FERNANDO — A Canyon Country man accused of killing a bicyclist and injuring others while driving drunk and high on drugs pleaded not guilty in court Thursday.

After Marco Antonio Valencia, 21, pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal counts and several enhancements, Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen ordered him to return to court for a pretrial conference on Jan. 22.

The charges include murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a suspended license and several DUI charges, according to court documents.

On July 11, Valencia allegedly hit a group of bicyclists on a remote, winding stretch of Bouquet Canyon Road just before speeding off.

The crash killed Joseph Novotny, who was reportedly a Santa Clarita Velo cycling club member who had recently moved from Belgium to Stevenson Ranch.

Test results show that Valencia had a blood alcohol level of .18 percent — more than double the legal limit — and was high on methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana at the time of the crash, prosecutors said during a recent preliminary hearing.

The allegations follow two DUI convictions in 2007 and 2008, according to court documents.