Hemi Gambles~

And gets a hard one! Way to go Hemi! (Notice the outstanding teeter performance, too!)

Z is for....

ZOOMANIAC- Though, had I followed my original plan of study, I would currently be a ZOOLOGIST, off studying penguins in the Antarctic, or bengal tigers in Africa. However, after taking my first zoology class under the MOST boring and annoying professor on the planet, I quickly realized that I would never last another 15 required classes under this same professor- so I switched my major. (No, don't ask, you don't want to know. In fact, when I told my parents, I think they cried a little.) But, just because I chose a different path for my life doesn't meant that I lost my love of animals- well, except for domestic cats and spiders.

Y is for.....

YOUTHFUL. "You are only as old as you feel" as the saying goes. I choose to only be as old the girl in this picture. I also choose to be as skinny, tanned, and energetic as that girl, too.

Do you think it will work? (Nah, me, either. It was worth a try, though)

X is for....

X-RAY CODER. Yes, I know, it's really Radiology (or, in my case, Interventional Radiology), but the X was so hard anyway, and this way I didn't have to *cheat* by shortening a word like "xtra". I have been coding radiology reports for most of my adult life. I enjoy the work. The job? Well, let's move on to Y, shall we?

W is for.....

WITTY--yep, those who know me enjoy my sense of humor. A friend of mine told me her husband doesn't have a Facebook page, but logs into hers just to see what witty, or humrous thing I've posted lately. I have inherited my sense of humor from both my mother and my father, so I received a double dose. They both have their own odd quirky sense of humor- Mom's is dryer than Dad's, and I have been lucky enough to pick up (and learned to appreciate) both types. It's funny how I tend to get along btter with the yankees than most of my southern counterparts because the dry sense of humor from up north is not lost on me!

(yeah, I know, you thought I was going to say "Writer"--but really, wouldn't that have been too easy?

V is for....

VOLABLE.

U is for....

Well, there were days this week when I thought U might stand for UNEMPLOYED- but that is not the case. (at least not at this time.)
I have, however, always been UNPREDICTABLE. Some may like that quality about me, some may not, but it is who I am. After all, who else would go so far as to put blue food coloring in the Thanksgiving gravy?

(yeah, that didn't go over so well.)

Almost done- V, W, X, Y and Z.... check back to see what thrilling (and unpredictable) adjectives I come up with to describe myself!

T is for......

TALKATIVE. This was really no surprise, was it? It runs in my family. Each child in the family had to fight for their turn to talk- and the middle child normally won that battle. When she moved out, my own talkativeness kicked into high gear, and the DH is still waiting for it to die a natural death.

Funny thing is, now that I have left the house, my father has taken up where the children left off. The bad part is that he has nearly 50 years of talking to catch up on. Poor Mom.

S is for

Standard Poodles! (of course)- Yes, I know, I've already done poodles, but this a subset of the previous letter.

Love this picture of Hemi- look at that concentration! (If only he would concentrate this hard on teeters!)

My girl Hershey and the Hershey Kissmobile! Sadly, the Kissmobile has been retired. Somewhere we have a photo of Hershey in the driver's seat. Wish I could find it again.

Boo- Being a model for our line of custom braided leather leashes and collars-

www.Leashes-Unleashed.com
(Yes, it's a shameless plug, but it's MY blog and I can do that if I want to!) Seriously- go check them out, they're great!

And, Kyra- one of her many days spent in the "cone of shame". She chews her feet off, and we have to put the cone on her. Poor thing, if only we could keep her feet from itching so bad!

Those are my 4 favorite standard poodles. They add so much to my life, I can't imagine life without them!

R is for...

Refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready for a new work week? Not hardly!

Q is for

Quixotic. That's your word for the day. Now--go look it up! Go! Now! I'll meet you back here on monday morning for R. Have a great weekend!

P is for...

Poodle Fanatic. You could say I am *passionate* about my poodles. Here are a few photos of the objects of my affection. Enjoy!

O is for

OPINIONATED.

I don't hold back, and I have an opinion on EVERYTHING. Just ask me! No topic is too big or too small.

Politics? I'm a conservative, tea party, the less government the better kind of person.

Doodling? This should come as no surprise- I'm against mixing breeds intentionally just "because". If you just HAVE to have a doodle- call a poodle rescue organization, that's where most of them end up. (And, by the way, most of them DO shed!)

Rescuing vs. breeders? Here's a hint- YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE! Yep, that's right! If you want a rescue dog, or a shelter dog, GREAT! Good for you- go right out and find the dog of your dreams. However, if you want a pure bred dog, also GREAT! Go out and find the dog of your dreams. Where I have issues is when someone tells me that I should get a rescue dog instead of purchasing a purebred. Whatever happened to MY right to own a purebred? Because we do obedience, agility, and dabble in conformation I like knowing what I am getting. When I get a dog from a reputable breeder, I have a fairly good indication of the dog's build, temperament, and future health. Is it 100%? No, but to manipulate a well-known phrase "Shelter dogs are like a box of chocolates- you never know what you're going to get." When you have a goal in mind with your dog of choice, the more of a leg up you have, the better.

I could go on for pages and pages and pages, but I think you get the idea!

N is for

Narrator- With my love of story telling I feel I become the narrator of many stories. It is my pashion.

By narrating, I can step out of my own life, and see it from a distance as well as the life story of another.

I am the vessel through which others' stories get told, and that is a great responsibility.

M is for

MACABRE

Bwuahahahahaha

Based on my fascination with Halloween, Stephen King, and all things spooky and scary, no better M exists for me!

L is for.....

LITERARY

I love to read, I love to write, I love the smell of an old book. My parents taught me to read at a fairly young age. "Hop on Pop." Loved it. Read it to them so often that, at times, they briefly regretted teaching me this wonderful skill.

Reading is a respite, a chance to get away from the humdrum of every day life. When I read, I can spend time on a dessert island without getting sunburned. I can enjoy the view from a helicopter despite my fear of heights. I can visit exotic lands without fear of the local cuisine.

Reading is not only an escape, it's a way to continue to learn and grow, regardless of you age, interests, or physical condition. You can read virtually anywhere; on a plane, on the bus, in the doctor's office, on the toilet.

There are few things that are as fulfilling as a new book!

K is for

Karen's sister.

(yeah- taking the easy way out today!)

J is for

JINXED.

Anyone who knows me well knows this!

At the grocery store, I will always pick the SLOWEST line! One afternoon, there were 2 lanes open at the small neighborhood market in the tiny town we lived in, one person in each line- one woman had a cart overflowing, the other had about 20 items. Seems like an easy choice, no? Wrong!

This woman first put some cheese, milk, and cereal on the counter that she paid for with WIC (Women, Infants and Children).

She then put a few other items on the counter that she paid for with her food stamps. She then paid some steaks with a check. Once these three orders were completed, her cart was empty, but she wasn't through.

She asked for a pack of cigarettes. Now, at this small grocery store, the tobacco products were kept in a separate room at the back of the store. The checker had to lock her register, walk to the back of the store to get the cigarettes, then check the woman out. She paid for these cigarettes with a debit card.

Sound like enough? Nope. She wasn't done yet. She asked for yet a DIFFERENT pack of cigarettes. (lather, rinse, repeat). For these cigarettes, she paid cash.

After what seemed like an hour, she was finally done.

And believe me, this is not an isolated incident. There are times when, relaying the events of my day, a family member will shake their head and proclaim. "Only you."

So, yeah. I'm jinxed. Remember that next time you decide you want to go anywhere with me!

I is for.....

Incandescence! Okay, so not really, that's just the sun reflecting off beads of sweat on my skin. For I, there are so many, really, it was hard to choose one.

Impatient- this is probably the biggest for me. I have zero patience, and it shows. I don't like waiting in lines, I don't like chaos, I don't like processes that aren't streamlined. This probably gets me in trouble more than anything else. I am a product of the "instant gratification" generation.

Intelligent- unfortunately, I think this helps to feed into my impatience. I do not deal well with people who are, shall we say, have zero common sense. I have a baseline of intelligence level that I expect people who hold certain jobs to possess. For instance, if you are working at a cash register, you should be able to make change. Period. Anything less than that and you should be doing something else. If my total is $3.01, and I give you $10.01. I expect you to be smart enough, without a machine telling you, that I get $7.00 back. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

Imperfect- of course then again, aren't we all? The difference, is that I am aware that I am imperfect, and while I might strive to reach that pinnacle, I choose to not beat myself up when my flaws come through. I embrace them, study them, and search for ways to improve upon them. This is actually harder than it sounds, and I fall flat. But, that doesn't keep me from trying.

Finally

I stands for....I. As in, self. I am always true to myself. One cannot give anything of value to others until they learn to be true to oneself.

Now, on to think about J.

H is for

HOT. HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT!

When the morning LOW is 85, and this is the reading on the temperature gauge in your vehicle, you know it's hot! Today marks day 40 of straight 100+ degree temps here in DFW.

Maybe H really stands for Hell? Maybe that's where we are?

Come on fellow Texans, say it with me! "I will NOT complain about the cold this winter!" (if winter ever gets here!)

G is for...

GRATEFUL. With the world in so much turmoil, I thought I should take a step backwards and take a look at the things I am grateful for, because I do have so many.

I am grateful to have a wonderful husband who loves me. (Come to think of it, G could also be for Gene!)

I am grateful to have 4 wonderful dogs who, although can at times be difficult (Kyra, did you chew that bandage off AGAIN?), keep me on my toes, and find a way to make me smile on a daily basis.

I have a job, and in this economy, that is no small thing.

I also have food to eat and a roof over my head.

I have a big circle of family and friends! I thank and love you all.

F is for....

Frustrated. That's it, frustrated.

E is for.....

Entrepreneur. Yep, DH and I are selling custom, handbraided leather leashes. This all started a few years ago when my favorite leash, a 2' black and gold braided leather leash, finally went to that leash heaven in the sky. In our search to find the original vendor, all we were able to find was empty internet space. So, my DH took the leash apart and tried to figure out how it was made. He discovered it was much easier than he had anticipated, and bought the materials to make me a new leash. Since he had to buy an entire cow hide, enough for about 30 leashes, he decided it was more economical to make them and sell them to others. And, all I can say is "WOW!" They are the hottest thing going around here! Now, if we can ever get our website up and running.....

D is for.....

Yeah--you weren't really surprised were you? I didn't think so! I don't remember life without dogs, and it's not a life I want to even think about. Anyone who owns a dog will understand--they aren't just fuzzy things that eat and poop. (unlike infants, but that's another story) No, a dog is a companion- a security system- and yes, even a teacher. Not to mention, they REALLY LOVE my Daddy!

Yes, if there are no dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go!

C is for.....

IS FOR..............................

Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by this one at all:

CHATTY!!!!!!!! Yes, I love to talk. Maybe it's because growing up with my sister K, I had to fight for my turn. Breaking into any conversation K is a part of takes impeccable timing. Not to mention, you have to be able to switch topics with the speed of a cheetah. Such rigorous training in my early, formative years has had a profound impact on me. I am thankful, however, I did not also become as adept at flailing all parts of my body in different directions while telling a story. I can, if pressed, talk when my hands are tied behind my back. (not that I've tried.) K, however, would be silenced. (How do you think we got a word in?)

Now---off to work!

B is for......

BOOKWORM

Yep, I admit it. I love to read. My dream day is sitting on the beach reading a book. I have learned to keep my book collecting to a minimum. My favorites are, by far, my Stephen King books, especially the signed/numbered limited editions. (And, with SK coming to this area in November- perhaps I can get some signatures on another book?)

This one has sentimental value to me, a German Bible

Thanks to Mom & Dad for that Garage Sale Find!

A is for.....

Agility Addict.

Hello, my name is Patti, and I am an Agility Addict. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the addiction, there isn't even a treatment for it.

At least, it's an addiction that doesn't spill over into something worse. Just a reminder of what my agility addiction is all about:

Alphabet in August

A is for Apple?

So, my friend to north has talked me into doing the "Alphabet in August" challenge. Starting tomorow, and taking a letter a day, I must come up with a word or phrase to describe me. The good news, we get Sunday to rest.

If you would like to see how Kelly does with this same challange, please feel free to check out her blog as well. Should be exciting!

http://myoldnewhouse.blogspot.com/2011/08/alphabet-in-august.html?spref=fb

Feel free to join me!

(untitled)

NYC--Phase II

I left off last post at Kelly's house Friday night. We returned home late from her parent's house, and were soon off to bed. Unfortunately, my peaceful slumber never came. It was, instead, interrupted by a nasty stomach bug that had me up several times in the night hurling up pizza guts. The worst part, is that I was still queasy when we left Kelly's house to head to the airport. I could only hope that the queasiness would dissipate quickly. I was wrong.

I settled into the back seat, and attempted to NOT think about being in an airplane, and being nauseous. As one might expect, I was unsuccessful.

When we arrived at the border crossing, Kelly dutifully handed our passports over to the crossing guard who had 1 questions, "Where do you know each other from?" We found out rather quickly that "we're friends" is NOT an appropriate answer. In my feverish state, I think I remember him reaching for a gun, but I've been informed that I was mistaken. He simply asked, more sternly, "WHERE. DO. YOU. KNOW. EACH. OTHER. FROM?" When Kelly replied "through our dogs", this answer satisfied him and we were off. (I think he was probably just a wee bit bitchy about working the border at 5 am, but I could be mistaken.)

We made it to the airport, onto the plane, to NYC, and to the hotel without incident. At this point, Gene encouraged me to curl up on the bed and take a nap. However, in my weakened condition, I felt it was best to keep moving- for if I were to lay down, I likely would not move the rest of the trip. I was determined to push on.

First on our list was the statue of liberty. It had not occured to me, when making my decision, that seeing this beauty would require an airplane, a NY taxi driver ride, a subway ride, a ferry, and 3 miles of walking. NOT the best option for someone with a stomach ailment.

I was a little shocked when I first saw her, and knew my fever had spiked. This is NOT how she looked in all those photos I've seen!


I also don't remember her pointing at me, and I certainly thought she was bigger! I was MUCH relieved to find out that the above masculine creature was NOT the statue I had traveled so far to see!

This is more like it!

In the original of this photo, Lady Liberty and I share a similar skin tone. Photoshop made me look happy, and healthy. And, yes, she IS as tall as I thought she would be!

After a second ferry ride with a hot dog vendor directly behind us, and another 3 mile hike back to the hotel, it was definately time for a nap. Gene and I both settled in, and slept for several hours. As I had feared earlier, I would not rise from this spot the remainder of the day. Since Gene's NYC bucket list included Rockefeller Center at night, I encouraged him to go and enjoy without me- just take plenty of pictures so I could live it vicariously through photos. He obliged, and I've only posted a few of them here!

This is the *The* Christmas Tree.

TWO Tickle me Elmos..in ONE block? I think this is one of the 7 signs!

More Christmas trees and lights.

Red Christmas Trees!

He also took a stroll through Time's Square.

The Hershey's Store.........

Right across the street from the M&M's store.

Sunday morning greeted me with more strength, and less queasiness. I was determined to make use of what little time we had left. After a breakfast of 3 bites of a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit, we were off to Ground Zero.

As we walked around the ginormous hole in the ground left by those B*stards, we came across this memorial

on the side of THIS fire station. I knew that Ladder Co. #10 was close, but I had no idea that they are, literally, on the opposite side of the street.

Next, it was off to do some shopping. We first went by Saks, but based on the line outside- we figured they were doing credit checks to see if you were even ALLOWED inside the doors. We opted to take a photo--and move on.

Next was FAO Schwartz.

No credit check required--just a high credit limit!

When we stopped at one intersection, and found a ferrari dealership on one corner

and a Maybach dealership on the other corner

We knew we were here:

And, if you've ever spent more than, say, 5 minutes in NYC--this sign is funny. If you've spent the night at a hotel NOT on Park Avenue, but just around the corner from Broadway? It's hysterical.

One of the lovely churches we came across--right in the middle of mass, so we thought it might be a *little* inappropriate to go inside and take photos.

Another of the lovely churches.

Gene got a Chicken Gyro from a street vendor for lunch. I opted for....a Mountain Dew.

We had our lunch right by the Fox News studios. If we had hit this area earlier, we could have been one of those nerds outside, waving at the camera.

The Hershey store in the daylight.

And, the M&M's store. (Which, I might add, was NOT open on Sunday- although the Hershey store was.)

Ah, one of the most elusive creatures in NYC, captured on film. Sightings are few and fleeting, so I wanted to document this one. What am I referring to? The purse vendor, of course! Most of the purse vendors we saw had their loot in a bed sheet slung over their backs like Santa. They would display the loot briefly, always ready to gather the sheet and make a run for it.

And, a last bit of humor I found. There was a private drive on one of the streets that we had to hike to/from the subway station. Evidently, this is how these types of disputes are handled.

All in all, it was a pretty good trip! I hope that we will be able to go again, but this time spend longer, and have zero illness while there.