Weight

I read this tonight: Taking a photo of your plateful of food can keep you slim. People who took pictures of everything they ate for five days reported consuming fewer snacks and being less likely to go back for seconds than during a week-long period in which they kept a written food diary, a study from the University of Wisconsin at Madison finds. Try capturing your meals for a week to help eyeball portion sizes as well as color variety—aim for more green, less white (unless it's cauliflower).

Dare I?

Rainbow Bridge Day

Almost 20 years ago someone started a tradition to honor their beloved furbaby(ies) that crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Every year on April 1st the furbaby's parent writes them a letter and puts it inside a helium balloon and releases it up to Heaven where it flies straight to the Rainbow Bridge. Let's carry on this sweet tradition....let's fill the sky with balloons of every color of the rainbow on that day!

My most recent beloved pets who crossed the Rainbow Bridge will be remembered ~

Annie my little schnauzer girl, my heart.



Boomer who lived to age 16, our beautiful golden retriever.



Socks who lived until 13, master of all he surveyed.



Thank you for teaching me about unconditional love. You will always be in my heart!

~~~

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Blind Man Knut

This is a video of our friends' Bouvier, wearing doggles and singing the blues with the harmonica. He is a wonderful dog, very sweet and fun. He was so gentle with Georgie when we visited him.

Spring has sprung!

Spring is here in northern California. Everything is green, the flowers are blooming, the pollen is everywhere. This is the time of year that everything takes on a neon yellow color from the pollen. Even the schnauzers are sneezing. Ahhhh....take a big whiff....choooo!!! I guess there are always trade-offs. We could be having floods like in ND or snow like in the midwest. My whining is really insignificant when you think about what these people go through. I am reminded to be humble and thankful once again!


click on this photo

100th Birthday Harley Ride

"100 Years"
Five For Fighting

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...
I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you’re on your way
Every day's a new day...
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

Dog Training

Today we ventured out to a local park with our dog trainer. It's a really popular place for runners, families, picnickers and dog walkers. We were working right in front of the duck pond. LOTS of distractions. Finnegan is aggressive towards other dogs. And Winston is nervous which makes him bark a lot. They improved so much since we started after Christmas. The dogs know how to follow commands and will repeat them flawlessly. Finn and Winston are smart. It's the handler - ME! - that needed the training today. Some of it is timing, some of it consistency. I've developed some bad habits back when it was all a struggle. Now I'm having to unlearn them and learn new habits. I'm learning, I did improve some...I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! This is a lot of work, but well worth it. The dogs are so good and we're all much happier. Our housesitter who took care of the dogs last weekend said Finn and Winston have improved tremendously. She can tell the difference since she hasn't seen them for 2 months. She watched our trainer's dvd and felt it will help her not only in handling ours but also others she sits for them. What great outcomes for all of us! And for our housesitters other clients. It's amazing, my old philosophy still remains true - change one thing and everything changes around you!

R & R

We just returned from 4 days away. We stayed in a small beach town near some of my long time friends. They have been in my group of friends since my 20s. It was wonderful to hang with them like we've done so many times before and have them really get to know my husband. I think we talked non-stop for days straight! We did go riding in the Ural through gorgeous country side. Georgie and I rode with Tom first, then one of my friends. Tom always says we don't measure our trip in miles, but in SMILES! I agree, you smile the whole time and everyone smiles at you. We also went to a dog beach and Knute, their 100 lb Bouvier and Georgie, my 13 lb schnauzer, had a wonderful time. Georgie was galloping down the beach like she was 6 years old again. Knute played with so many of the other dogs. We talked with so many other dog owners. We all have so much in common even though we're from all walks of life. We all have the best thing in common - the experience of unconditional love. I think it helps us in getting along in the world! What a great community each of us can build from that common starting point.