Blogging really does take a back seat to ice dancing and spectacular wipe-outs!

So I assume that like most Americans, you are, if not obsessed with the Olympics (as is my goofy-ass husband) you are at least mildly curious. That's me, mildly curious.

Winter Olympics just don't do much for me. Hell, winter just doesn't do much for me. Really, if you actually enjoy, indeed, make a life-long committment out of going down hill really fast on cold, hard ice or snow, you are, are you not, just a wee bit off your friggin rocker? Or maybe going like 50 MPH on ice, as someone bent on your destruction chases you, is your thing. Wait wait! I know, you're into pretending to sweep the ice ahead of a ginourmous hemmoroid cushion!

Ah, but then there's ice dancing. Not just mere "figure skating" mind you, but the gradeful, beloved "sport" of ice dancing. I was going to blog extensively about this so-heinous-it -should-come-with-a-warning-sticker Olympic event, but Beege did it so well, I think I'll let you read her thoughts on the subject. I'll just add that while the flourescent pink costume was mind boggling, for me it was the white feathery get up that really sunk the ship. I mean, can you hear the conversation she had with her costumer? "I really want to look like an ostrich! Please, please make me look like an ostrich!" Bjork and her swan dress at the 2001 Oscars comes to mind... Or how 'bout that awesome nod to the 80's "roller skating with my headband on" look we all miss so much? Y'know, Mr. white disco suit with a bright yellow head band?

You know it's really bad when your mom, who has NEVAH, EVAH said a mean thing about another human being (unlike catty bitchy me) says "I really shouldn't say this, but there was one couple that was just so unattractive..." And I of course jump on it: "You mean the poor Japanese couple? The one with the guy who looked like the son of "Sloth" the character from Goonies?" and your sweet little mom, who has NEVAH EVAH said a mean thing about a human being in her life actually blushes and says "Oh yes I was so embarrased for them!"

Alright, alright I'm giving them all too much crap. I mean I know I could never in a million years do what they do. I can barely stand up on ice skates, let alone twist and turn and dip... That and the fact that I'm freaking scared to death of falling on ice. It's irrational I know, but it's just so hard and so cold! And I HATE being cold. I often think of Beege during the winter, up there in Minnesotta, and I get cold just thinking about it.

Speaking of cold, we went from 80 degrees to 22 degrees in one week flat. Two weeks ago I was wearing capris and smugly gloating about the gorgeous California winter, reminding myself that for all the crap I put up with to live here, 80 degrees in February makes it all worth while. For heaven's sake, I actually got a bit of tan that weekend! Then, by last Saturday it was 22 degrees of pure H-E-L-L. I know I'm weak, I know I'm wimpy. Beege is probably wishing for 22 degrees right now. But this is why I live in a mild Mediteranean like climate. I like my leaves to turn brown and fall of the trees. I'm not so keen on my toes turning colors and falling off. Things are finally starting to level out and we're back to a more normal 65 degrees (I know, woe is me). But Oh! That little taste of spring time is making me crazy. It does this every year too. We get gorgeous weather for like two weeks in February-- just long enough for all the trees to set blossoms and the farmers' crops to start coming out, and BAM! The frost returns and wipes out like half of the state's agriculture for the season. We have a humming bird nest in our oak tree already. Mamma bird has been fussing over that thing for weeks now. I just hope she hasn't popped out the eggs yet, or we're going to have petrified hummingbird carcasses instead of actual polinators.

So, random details to close out our marathon session together:

1. Ruby, one of cute as a devil little border collie pups, has probably found a home. Of course we had to find some one in the SF bay area because the quality of pet owners who respond to Craig's List ads here in the Valley is just not all that stellar. "How will she do in an apartment?" Um, she's a border collie for chrisake! She will eat everything you own and then she'll start on your leg.
2. Baby is doing fine. Had another appointment and ultra-sound and the doctor said "geeze, this baby is moving around like crazy." The cyst, which was likely a second bith sac that didn't develop, is shrinking. Good news. Next ultra sound is the "big one" where we can find out if it's a boy or girl, if he/she is cooperating of course. Also, I think I'm starting to feel it move. I've felt a few infrequent little taps on my belly that just don't feel like gas...
3. OK, baby probably should have been #1 up there, but at present, the dogs are notably more active and persistent in maintaining my attention.
4. Work is crizazzy. You all know what that's like so enough said.
5. The Bean is too damn cute for words. He woke up at 6:30 this morning and ran into our room shouting "I got up early cause i'm going to Sanatana's house to play today!!!!" Um, sweety, that's not for like six hours, but I'm glad you're excited. *Note: while it would be cool beyond desription if he were going to Carlos Santana's house to play, he was actually going to his school friend Santana's house. But she's almost as hip as the guitar man himself. And she made the Bean a paper heart that said "I love Nathan from Santana."
6. I'm getting ready to spend $25 THOUSAND dollars on windows in the coming weeks. There goes Starbucks for like a month.

So, now I bid you adios amigas. Kris, I will get another picture up soon. I promise.

ah, what to do...

Well, they're both still here.

They are soooo frigging cute. It hurts just thinking about giving one up. But, alas, the decision has been (mostly) made. Moke stays with us, and Ruby will go to a good home.

We're picky though. Too many people get Border Collies because they're adorable. But they don't realize that he same brain that makes them so smart also makes them very high maintenance. They need lots of attention and activity. They need guidance and direction and comittment. Most people don't do that for them and they end up in a rescue as a "problem" dog becaus ethey will develop obsesive compulsive behaviours if you lock them in a kennel 8 hours day.

It's not he dogs' fault; it's the people's.

So, anyway, if you know any dedicated, active, loving people who are looking for not only a friend, but a running buddy and frisbee chaser, let me know.

*sigh* I'm going to miss Ruby. :(

Of puppy breath and 4:00 am potty breaks

If you haven't guessed by the title, we got a puppy. Make that two puppies... at least for now.

On Friday night, S. came home from work with a canvas shopping sac which he plopped in my lap. Image how my heart turned to goo when an adorable black Border Collie puppie stuck it's head out and peered at me. Then imagine how my heart of goo ozzed right out of me when puppy number two popped it's head up and looked at me quizically.

"There's two!" I cried. I was so shocked to see one puppy that two just about sent me over the edge never to return from schmoopville.

S. works out in a very rural area surrounded by farms and ranches. It's not uncommon for dogs to be abandoned out there, or more often, just left to their own devices. Apparently spaying and neutering are forbidden words out there. Well, one of the ranches near his project has a couple working Border Collies who had puppies. The dad-dog works horses and the mom-dog works sheep. She had eight puppies! The puppies were no more than a burden to this ranch family and they had left them to their own devics in one of those huge cotton baling cages with a 55 gallon drum to sleep in and, ocassionally, water. They were giving them to anyone who wanted them.

One of the laborers out at the project S. works at came by the other day with one of the puppies he had taken. S. fell head over heals. We had a Border Collie for 10 years who was our best friend. When she died last winter we were heart broken. The Bean still talks about her and says "remember when Mesa...."

So, not wanting to just leave them out there, but smart enough not to try to rescue them all, S. took the two remaining girl puppies. He figured he'd have to talk me into keeping even one of them and spent his whole car ride home coming up with good arguments. He knew it would be easy to find a home for whichever of the puppies we couldn't keep.

Let's just take stock of this for a moment: husband brings home two of the cutest border collie puppies you've ever seen -- to his pregnant, hormone filled, emotional sponge of a wife, and he thinks he's going to have to talk me into one? Think again! You're gonna have to talk me out of two! :)

Seriously though, I know that the smart thing to do would be to keep only one of them. Especially with so much going on right now: work, house, baby on the way.... But we're both having a really hard time even considering giving one up. And my parents aren't helping-- they keep saying "oh just keep both; they're so good..." They fawn all over the puppies and melt when they hold them. These dogs are adorable and smart and so fun. They are well on the way to being house trained in just two and a half days. They are easy going but spunky and their personalities complement each other. And every time I think of separating them, I am drowned in guilt!

Well, we have to decide by the end of the weekend. That's what? Eight hours away? OY!

In the mean time here is a pic of our new furry babies: