Life with the new dog is going well.  Each day she surprises me with her cute antics.  Yesterday I had to go to the grocery store.  When I got home Emily met me at the door with one of my house shoes in her mouth.  Her foster father emailed me to find out how she was doing and he said she normally took one of his shoes to bed with her.  Not to chew on but to lie with.

She has brought me one of my shoes several times.  She even picked up one of the hubster’s croks but he admonished her for it.  I think he should have let her have it and maybe she would take to him easier.  She still cringes when he comes near, although he has petted her several times.

I’ve already started nicknaming her.  I have this thing about nicknames and apply them frequently to those around me.  I have called her Emmie Dot Spotty Spot.  She has little brown spots all over her little body.  And she has the big dot on her head like my little Jessie had.

I have been calling her Emmie most of the time.  I do the motherly thing and call her Emily if she is being naughty, which she really isn’t naughty -- like if she wants to play tug with Mr. Squeaky Toy instead of retrieving it or if she doesn’t want to let go of the Frisbee.  The Frisbee has a hole in the center and if she gets it just right it is hard to get it out of her mouth.  I just say, “Emily, drop it,” and she does.

Funny thing about her is that she hasn’t pooped in her own yard.  She only poops when we go on walks.  We have been able to walk twice a day so far except for one morning when it rained.  I walked her in the yard a bit but she didn’t go.  She held it until it was dry later.

So I am using two poop bags a day.  Each week amounts to fourteen bags.  I feel environmentally guilty.  We did order eco-friendly dog poop bags.  I’m not sure how biodegradable they are.

After she poops and I tie up the bag, I put it in the pocket of my shorts.  Then I start singing in my head, “I’ve got a pocket full of dog poop,” to the tune of I’m Getting Married in the Morning.  So far the lyrics go:  I’ve got a pocket full of dog poop, I’ve got the best dog in the world.  We walk together, in all kinds of weather, but I have to carry the dog poop home.  Needless to say, I’m driving myself nuts with this brain worm.

I am also referring to her as Emily Dickenwoof.  I thought of Emmie Lou Bark Bark but that didn’t get it.  I’m sure I will come up with more nicknames as we progress in our mommy, doggie daughter relationship.

The cutest thing she does is she wants to hug me.  When I sit down to put on my shoes she raises one paw to me knee.  Then slowly brings the other one up.  Then she climbs up to my shoulders.  It is so sweet!

I feel the hubster is getting anxious with her.  He is the one who chose her and she doesn’t want much to do with him.  I know it is eating away at him.  He is feeding her and giving her any treats that she gets.  I told him we should make some bacon and he carry it around in his pocket.  Hell, I’d let him pet me with bacon in his pocket.

Yesterday was hot as Hades and so I was a little laid back.  I decided to finish reading the book I was on as I had only a few pages to go.  I lay down in bed and Emily jumped up at my feet.  The hubster decided to read also and came to bed.  I told Emmie she could come up closer between us and she came right up to the headboard and lay between us.  I finished my book and decided to doze, and she snuggled up and spooned with me.

Life with the new dog is ever changing but we are getting down to our little routine.  Walk in the morning, pick up poop and carry it home.  Breakfast from Dad and try to let him pet her.  Outside for some Frisbee or fetch the ball, back inside for a little brushing.  (I think she likes to be brushed.) Play Mr. Squeaky Toy a couple of times and then walk again at 4 or 4:30.  Then dinner from dad and some treats to try and learn how to sit, lay down and shake.  She is doing quite well and every day she brings us a new surprise.

What can I say?  I adore her.

Oh and I got my first cucumbers.  Isn't that one white?  It was still delicious.

Today I worked at the extension office’s information table at the Freeport Garden Tour.  It was pretty slow but we talked to a bunch of gardeners and I even met a lady who wanted to go into the Master Gardener Program.  Another recruitee for my extension office!

I paid my $10.00 and got my ticket after my two hour tour of volunteerism.  Off I went to discover new local gardens.  The first garden I hit was at the local Catholic school.  The garden was a shambles and filled with weeds.  I could hardly contain myself and had to pull a couple of ragweed, as I hate them.  I realized that the garden is maintained by the students and since school was out for the summer the weeds had taken over.

I ran into a Master Gardening buddy of mine and we chatted for a bit.  I saw some dill growing and asked if I could buy one.  She told me just to take it. I brought it home and cut it up and put it into the dehydrator.  The house smells of dill.

The next garden I went to was a Master Gardener’s garden and I purchased a plant, Scabiosa, for my west garden.  I haven’t put it in yet.  Maybe tomorrow I will do that.  John’s Garden was wonderful.  He had a whole yard full of flower beds and vegetables.  His tomato plants were taller than me.  He had a whole field of zinnias which are one of my favorites.

The next garden was on a back street and was a recycling garden.   They had all kinds of beautiful structures that they had put together from recycled materials such as plates, old garden hoses, the tops of two liter bottles, old wooden chairs and other such items.  A lot of the things were for sale.  There wasn’t much of a garden but I got a couple of ideas for my own gardens.  We also got a free sack lunch which was a smashed fake turkey and fake cheese sandwich, some chips, a pickle slice and a cookie.  It was pretty lame but I ate it anyhow.  Got to get my preservative fix for the day.

The next garden was also pretty lame.  They had a bunch of raised beds that they hadn’t really filled in very well.  I think I identified one plant as a zucchini and I believe that is what is growing in my compost bin.  Prepare to get some zucchini if you are a friend of mine.

This garden did have bunny pens and I visited the rabbits.  I just love rabbits but am allergic and can’t own one.

I decided I had seen enough gardens since I had already seen the next one on the list, and the last one was in Forreston and I was going the opposite direction.

I traveled to Davis and checked out a farm on Best Road that sells fresh eggs and grass fed beef.  I bought a dozen eggs for $3.00 and got the info about the beef.  I am so glad to find someone close to me to get these things.  It is only about four miles away from my place.

I got home around 1:30 and Emmie dog was certainly glad to see me.  We played with Mr. Squeaky for a bit and then went out to garden for a while.  She is really a good dog.  She stays close to me while I weed and hoe.  I think she is a keeper.

After visiting four gardens today I came home thinking that my yard and garden weren’t all that bad after all.  I do plan to spiffy up the west side of the house.  Daughter, Jess, planted a white pine when she was in third grade and I plan to put hostas around it.  I got four started this spring and hope to get four more started next year.  I just need to get up some weeds.  I also noticed that there are numerous tomato plants growing out there.  I doubt they will produce anything but I’m letting them grow anyhow.

The vegetable garden is growing nicely.  I replanted snow peas (wishful thinking) and some beets and lettuces.  I have green beans and wax beans coming in now.  Last night we had jalapeno poppers made fresh from the peppers in the garden.  I now have to go out to pick red raspberries.  Life is good!

I had my monthly Master Gardener’s Book Club meeting yesterday.  I felt like the kid going to school for a test knowing he hasn’t studied.  I waited too late to order the book and I didn’t read it.  We were supposed to read Down the Garden Path by Beverly Nichols.  Beverly is a man and famous journalist who has written dozens of books about gardening.

It had rained and was still sprinkling and so we had our meeting at the shelter house at Krape Park in Freeport, Illinois.  If you haven’t been to Krape Park you must go.  They have duck boat rides, a carousel, miniature golf and a huge playground.  It is lovely.

I didn’t recognize the group at first because Shirlee is growing her hair out and had it pulled into a bun thingy.  Her hair is quite white and you can see her from a mile away.  She and Shey were already there and chatting.  The rest of the group arrived one by one and we ate our lunch and shared some cheese chunks I had brought and some mini-doughnuts that Jill brought.  Yes, I ate the cheese and ignored the doughnuts.

We began our discussion of the book and I apologized that I had not read it but I had done some research on the book, the author and had read one passage from the book.  I also had two favorite quotes, so I was still in the game.

This group of ladies is so much fun.  They are all so very smart and witty.  We digress occasionally (often, in fact) and talk about just everything.  We learned about Door County and how it contributed to the making of Lake Michigan.  We learned what encompasses a savannah.  (Grassy area with few trees.)  We learned that there are three types of dandelions.  And we learned a little bit about female anatomy.  (Don’t ask.)

As usual I took my camera with me and got a group photo.  I climbed upon the picnic table to take the photo.  If you know me you know I hate it when people sit on picnic tables, because we don’t want our food to taste like their butt; let alone climb onto one with their dirty shoes.  Oh well, I don’t know the people who will eat here next but their food is going to taste like my dirty shoes.

Next month’s book is Go Native – Gardening with Native Plants and Flowers in the Lower Midwest.  I must order it today.

I forgot to mention that while sitting there in Krape Park I got two mosquito bites.  No one else was touched.  They just love me, what can I say?  Anyhow the one on my arm swelled up into about an inch circle.  When I got home I made a paste of Aldolph’s Meat Tenderizer and water and rubbed the bites until they stung.  This morning, no mosquito bite is evident.  It really works, believe me.  My middle name should have been mosquito food.

PS.  I lightened this photo up but it didn't take.  Sometimes I hate technology!

This weekend has been pretty hectic for us.  The hubster and I are used to our little routine of going to bed around 8 and getting up early.  We rarely have company, and we are getting used to a new dog.

Our friends, The Webbs, or the Webbarooskis, came to visit from Arizona.  They lived three doors down for quite a few years and were our closest friends.  When they visit Illinois they come to the Faerber Arms, as they call our upstairs.  This time, however, with the new very shy dog, the Webbs stayed across the street at another friend’s home.  Their son and his wife came along for the trip.

The four Webbs and Joe Clark came to the house at about the same time.  Little Emmie dog was scared to death.  Everyone, especially Ellie and Katie, wanted to pet the dog but she growled and hid beside me.  She finally calmed down but no one got to pet her.  We visited for a while and then decided to go to the beach for a while.  We all left Emmie and the hubster alone.

When we got back from the beach, the hubster said Emmie came right to him for pets and laid down at his feet to sleep.  I guess after all the strangers, he was at least familiar to the new dog and, after a week, she finally took to him.

We had dinner at the new restaurant in Durand and it was delicious.  There were twelve of us friends there at the table and I was in friend heaven.  I’ve got some photos on my phone, I should try and retrieve them.

We all went to breakfast the mornings of Sunday and Monday.  We used to go to breakfast every Sunday with these folks.  We called it our church time since we discussed everything from politics to religion to child rearing.

We held our White Family Reunion on the 4^th of July this year.  We usually do our reunion when the Webbs are here and we are all together, and it is time to get together and catch up.  We held our first reunion many, many years ago when Rockford had its first Black Family Reunion.  We figured, they can do it, we can do it.  It’s not that we are prejudiced or anything, it’s just that most of us are Caucasian and not really ashamed that we are.

We are just a group of friends that have been very close for over twenty five years and we do like getting together and enjoying some jocularity.  We have played in a band together, had an organized social club twice, been through some very hard times, and most of us have survived and feel like celebrating that fact.  We have seen each other’s children grown up, known death up close and personal, watched heartbreaking divorces and came through still loving each other.  These folks are my family and I dearly love them all.

Naomi opened the celebration with a lovely flag themed seven layer dip that kicked ass.  I got the remains in my fridge and plan to have a bite later before I wash her bowl and take it back to her.  She and Mark stayed a while but decided their Harleys were calling too loudly not to answer and off they rode.

The four Webbs played a round of corn hole.  What is that game really called?  Well Jeff and his partner, I’m not sure which, won and, being Jeff, he had to rub it in and stroll around the crowd making sure everyone knew he won.

I had to run home and gather my casserole from the oven and pick up the hubster who had to take a shower before the party.  He didn’t even wear his swim trunks.  I’m not sure anyone went swimming in the lake.  It was cloudy and actually kind of cool that day.  I picked up a photo album that I had put together of a bunch of old pictures of the White family.  We all got a kick out of looking at old pictures of each other.

Mike Kelly arrived on his bicycle and we all thought he had ridden from Freeport but he had parked at the swimming pool up the hill and cruised his bike to the beach to avoid the parking.  (The parking was ridiculous!  We need a parking lot at beach two.)

Kevin and Laurie made it and we were all so glad.  Kevin is doing chemo right now and looks very fragile.  He is such a trooper though and said he wanted to see all of us.  Laurie made banana pudding and it was eaten up in a rush.  Mike Kelly and Nancy even ate it off the serving spoon.  That is how close we are.

I got my White Family Reunion group photo and afterwards notice the Webbs weren’t in it.  I had to do a retake later when they returned.

Mike and Mike played a little guitar and Joe Clark had to leave early.  Jeff cooked brats and hot dogs.  The hubster showed him a little trick of cutting the dogs in a spiral and they cooked up a lot nicer.  The hubster had swollen ankles and did not stand a lot.   He is usually the grill master.

I had to go home and check on the new dog and she was just fine.  The beach is only five minutes away from the house.

The beach was crowded with people cooking, playing, swimming and generally having a very good time.  The air was static with happiness and most of it was mine.  I looked within my gaze and most of my favorite people in the world were right here by me.  I am so very blessed.

I will explain.  I really am not a people person any more.  I like possibly 10 percent of the people I have met and have known.  And for me to be so very blessed with most of that 10 percent in front of me was euphoric to me.

We were winding down and I started cleaning up stuff so I could pack my things into the truck as I went.  We wanted to get home to Emmie just in case she didn’t like fireworks and would be afraid.  I had to take most of the leftovers and any left casserole dishes.  I will probably gain two pounds today getting rid of this little tidbit and that little leftover bite.

Another reunion has passed and all is well.  I have had my friend fix for the next while.  I just pray the next time we meet is just as happy as the fourth of July White Family Reunion had been.

Today I have some gripes.  I have been listening to NPR more recently for some unexplained reason.  I guess since I don’t get the newspaper any long and really don’t surf the internet for news updates, I thought maybe NPR would keep me more informed on what is happening in the world.

I heard the other day that Puerto Rico is in debt to the tune of 70 billion dollars.  Seventy billion f…ing dollars.  Do you think that maybe when they made it to one billion, someone should have said, “Maybe we should rethink this strategy?”  No, seventy more and their asses are way in debt.

My brother was stationed in Puerto Rico when he was in the service and said it was one of the most beautiful places ever.  Why don’t they work with that – tourism?  I’d go scuba diving in Puerto Rico.  Shoot I’d go just to snorkel.  I just want to be on a beach, what can I say?

Seventy billion dollars for Puerto Rico and last night on Chelsea I heard that the good ole US of A is in debt in the trillions.  (I just love her show, don’t you?)  I could just puke.  I still have a payment on my house and it makes my stomach hurt.

Puerto Rico, I say, “let it sink back in the ocean.”

And the other thing is about PMS.  My hubster admits last night that he is glad Hillary Clinton is beyond menopause because he could just picture some diplomat pissing her off while she is “OTR” or menopausal and she thinks, “I’m pushing this button.”

I get so sick of men who have absolutely no idea of what being OTR is.  I had PMS from Hell, Hades, eternal damnation and so much more.  One week a month I was a complete monster.  I screamed and hollered and blew up at everyone over the biggest nothings you can imagine.  I was in pain during the first ten years of this roller coaster ride.  My mom took me to the doctor more than once to get a shot so I would be out of pain and out of her hearing.  A look could set me off into a hell storm of emotions.  I could flip that switch so quick it would make your butt dangle.

When I turned 19 I went to Planned Parenthood and got on the pill.  I wanted to have sex and I sure as hell didn’t want to have a baby.  The pill made most of my pain go away but not the emotional explosions.  And I started having migraine headaches.  That will be saved for another blog.

I went into menopause in my fifties and the heat was intense.  I started a job in an office without air conditioning that was in the room next to the boiler room.  People would come into the office and ask how I could stand the heat.  (I needed the job, for heaven’s sake.)

I remember getting up in the middle of the night and walking outside in the winter cold just so I could breathe properly again.  I have made a bucket of ice water just to soak my feet and hands to cool down.

But the part about menopause for me was that I became a human being again.  I got off that emotional roller coaster.  Gone were the tampax, pads, pain, bloating, backache, head stress, and I was just hot.  My emotions began to simmer down.  I didn’t get upset over the least little thing any longer.

I heard someone once say that if men had periods, tampons would be free.  We women should start a campaign that tampons should be free.  The Kotex Company would hate us.

Saturday we began our dog adventure by traveling to Huntley, Illinois to the Animal House Pet Shelter.  We were to meet Emily a part golden retriever.  We parked the car and entered the building and I was really turned off by the smell.  The cat house was right next to the office and the place reeked of cat urine.  Sorry, cat lovers, but the hubster and I are both allergic and the smell repulses both of us.  It was not a good first impression.

The girl at the desk told us the foster family had not arrived with Emily and so we took seats and sat until the hubster decided he had to have some fresh air.  I was just about to join him when a blue vehicle pulled up with a white looking dog in the back.  I just knew it was Emily.

I walked over to the door and the girl who was walking the dogs asked if I was there to see a dog and I told her we were meeting Emily and asked if she thought that was the dog in the aforementioned vehicle.  She said it was and I proceeded to ask her a bunch of questions.  “Does she walk well?  Is she a nice girl?”  She said only positive things about little Emily.

The hubster came back to the door and I walked out and said, “She is here.”  I pointed to the vehicle and a guy was letting the dog out of the car.  I walked over and introduced myself to Steve, the foster dad of Emily.

I was taken by how much she looked just like the photos we had seen of her.  She is mostly white with a few blotched markings over her body.  She has a dot on her forehead just like my little Jessie dog had.

I was slow to hold out my hand to her and Steve suggested that I squat down and talk to her.  He told us that she was afraid of most men and suspected that a man had once abused her.  The hubster was standoffish.  We went inside and visited for a bit and Steve suggested we go outside where we could get some fresh air and see how she behaved outside.

Steve said not to let her near other dogs as she was unsure of herself around them. She was very shy and stayed close to Steve.  I walked her around the grass area and then the hubster walked her a little.  We went to a fenced area to get to know her better and to play.

Steve left to let us be alone with her.  She stayed by the fence where he had left and kept looking for him the entire time.  The hubster tried to encounter her but she just moved away.  I tried to get her to play but she was only interested in Steve.

I told the hubster I was not sure about her and maybe we should go inside and ask about other dogs.  We did just that and told Steve we were not sure.  All the dogs we asked about were either shier than Emily or had been adopted previously.  I told the hubster that we should not let her go.  I really liked her and she was warming up to me.

Several volunteers came out to see Emily for she had been at a foster home for over two weeks but had lived at the shelter for several years.  The hubster filled out paper work and paid the fee for Emily.  All the volunteers loved on Emily and she was so sweet with all of them.  I knew we had made the right decision.

We exchanged collars and leashes and we bought a bag of dog food that she was accustomed to and off we went.  We had brought an old quilt which we spread on the back seat.  Emily jumped excitedly into the car and immediately went into the front seat.  I could feel the hubster cringe as she walked on his leather seat.

Steve said, “I believe she wants to ride shotgun.”

“Oh no she isn’t,” the hubster declared.  I climbed into the back seat and called her to me.  She came right back and I had her sit down on the quilt.  Off we went to take her home.

She rode in the car well.  She didn’t get sick, and I was so relieved.  At one point she crawled into my lap with her front paws.  I petted her during the whole trip and told her what a beauty was.

When we got home, I walked her around the yard to let her go potty.  She is not much of a pee maker.  A little squirt here and there.  We went into the house and I walked her around on her leash to show her her new home.

The first night was pretty scary but she slept in the bed between us and slept all night long.  We went on our first walk together after the rain stopped.  Jessie would never walk in the rain.  I called her “Princess Dry Paws.”  Emily had no problem with that at all.

We came across two little girls in the neighborhood who had come to visit Jessie when she was very ill.  They had brought her “get well” cards.  They dropped their bikes and came to pet Emmie.  Emmie allowed them to pet her a bit but I heard a distinct growl from her.  I told the girls it was enough and maybe next time she would be nice.  We were told she bit a child and that is why she was taken to the shelter.

I went to my Zumba class on Tuesday and when I got home Emmie came running to greet me and then ran to get Mr. Squeeky Toy.  My heart just melted.  She really liked me.

Emmie has taught me to play Frisbee.  I am the worst Frisbee thrower in the world.  I threw the first five into my garden.  Emmie jumped right over and got the thing and jumped right back out.  She can really jump high.  I must get a hula hoop.

Emmie is a good walking partner.  She walks at my side and only occasionally pulls forward.  She is a strange pottier.  She squirts out a little pee here and there.  She has only pooped while on our walks.  She must want to keep our yard clean.  I must remember to carry a plastic bag.

It is day four and she still is not warming to the hubster but he is feeding her now and hopefully, she will become his buddy too.

We are off to the vet today.  The vet’s name is Emily also.  I hope to get a good report and I pray that she is nice to the vet’s employees.

She sleeps at my feet while I computerize.

Tuesday I had a very good adventure.  Friends, Garnet and Charyl, invited me to go have mani-pedis with them.  First of all, I had to ask what a mani-pedi was.  Since I was asking Garnet, I had no idea that she meant manicure and pedicures.  I tried to get Garnet to go with me for a pedicure two years ago and she told me she didn’t like having people mess with her feet.  I was flabbergasted that we were going for mani-pedis.

I drove to Charyl’s house and we rode together to Garnet’s where we picked her up and continued on our journey.  Our plans were to 1.) go get mani-pedis, 2.) go have lunch, 3.) stop at Farm and Fleet and get their license for their kayaks and 4.) go to Best Buy for a birthday gift for C’s hubster.

We arrived at a nail shop and I was surprised that we hadn’t made appointment, because the place doesn’t take appointments, and we got right in.  There was a lovely Vietnamese lady and two dudes.  I have never had a man give me a pedicure before and it was quite the adventure.  He didn’t really talk to me much but I filled his ear plenty.

Garnet had the other dude doing her toes.  She fell in love with the massage chair as well as the hot water bath for our feet.  I looked at her and told her, “you’ll probably be here every two weeks now!”  She sang to her guy while he did her toes.

I asked my guy if they were all family and Garnet’s dude told me yes they were.  I took this to mean my guy couldn’t speak much English.  I asked him if he had been doing this for very long.  He just looked at me.  I told him for an old broad I have really soft feet and he agreed???

They had started on Charyl first but finished last because the lady doing her feet was using this machete and scythe on her feet for a really long time.  I have to make Charyl some of my foot scrub.

Garnet is sensitive about her hands and feet but said she had been working on them for a while.  She has a wedding this weekend and wants to look splendid.  And she will, for I saw the blouse she is wearing and it kicks ass.  She got her nails done in a midnight blue and was going to have her fingernails just clear polish but we talked her into continuing the midnight blue theme.   They looked great.

We were sitting in the dryer light and talked about lunch.  I said Alvarez is just around the corner and both friends sighed.  We love the Alvarez.  And we can drink!  Enough said.  We hit the Alvarez and it wasn’t too busy for a Tuesday at 11:45ish.

I ordered my usual Pollo Hausteca.  (Not sure if I spelled it right but this dish is the best Mexican thing in the world.  If you like hot and spicy food, get it next time.) I ordered a Corona with lime and Garnet joined me.  Charyl had a margarita on the rocks.

Garnet sang along with the music and I told her how much I detested Mexican music.  I don’t mind the lovey dovey stuff but that mariachi stuff drives me to distraction.

We ate most of our salsa and ordered more and I asked for some of the green stuff.  Garnet gagged.  What, you don’t like hot stuff?  She tried it anyhow and complained for ten minutes.  I felt like going to get her a glass of milk.

We went to Farm and Fleet but the girls couldn’t get their licenses because Garnet’s is in her husband’s name and Charyl forgot her other card from last year.  Oh well.

We made it to Best Buy and I looked around at stuff.  They have a lot of stuff.  The washers and dryers are something else.  Mine are thirty years old and I need to upgrade someday.

We then went to the Hallmark shop for Father’s Day cards.  I cannot believe how expensive a greeting card is these days.  For only forty-two, ninety-five you can get a card that personally cleans your house.  Just kidding, but wouldn’t that be a great card?

We then went next door and visited I think the name of the store was Ross.  I am not a shopper but Garnet said they have cool stuff there.  I quickly got bored but ran into the director’s daughter of the movie that I played the Grandma.  Evidently, she is the manager there at Ross.  They had a line of trainees that were marching around the perimeter of the building.  Not sure what that was about.

I ended up sitting in a chair at the front of the store while the girls shopped.  It was people watching at its best.  One lady purchased about five blouses that looked very similar.  They were all black and white.  This seemed strange to me.

Another person left their wallet and a bunch of folks discussed who it belonged to.  They were pointing to a car in the parking lot and decided that must be who left it.  No one bothered to take it out to the car and offer it to him.  They supposed he would return for it.  How sad that was to me.  What if he lives in Wisconsin or something?  I’d be pissed that no one bothered to try and return it while I was still in the parking lot.

Charyl finished shopping and said she would go get the car and start the air conditioning.  I waiting about ten more minutes then I spied Garnet.  I made it to her and told her we were ready to go.  She didn’t buy anything.

I must say that each venture I make with these two girlfriends is so much fun.  They are funny and sarcastic and we find an adventure in everything we do together.

Oh, and I get to babysit Garnet’s dog, Duke, while she is at the wedding.  I’m so excited.

This Buddha was in the nail salon.  Isn't he wonderful?