Eat, pray, love

I just finished reading this book last night - it had been kicking around our house for a little while, i think i got it back in summer. Initially, i had been really excited to read it, however after reading a couple bad reviews, i was a little hesitant. Its not that the reviews said that it was badly written, the main criticism was that this was another tale of self-indulgence and what some could call "middle class white girl syndrome" - that is, people finding problems in their lives and then up and leaving them, all to "find themselves" and realign their chakras.

I'm mixed about all this, as you might be able to tell. I love that we have the luxury of therapy should people need it - one of my favorite people in the world is my past councilor, carolyn, a woman i would want to meet for coffee everyday if i could and who has helped me through some very difficult times of self-doubt. I try to approach things in life somewhat holistically, with attention paid to both physical and spiritual well-being. However, i do think that as it so often happens, the goodness of these opportunities has been saturated and now you have people falling over the other side of the line -- people in love with this realization that they can be happy, but in order to do so, must up and leave their families. jobs, husbands and travel to Italy to date a man named carlo (i did love the movie "under the tuscan sun" though - despite the liberties they took with the script!). Little bits of this is good for anyone, but it just seems like people give things up so easily, instead of working through the hardships or the rough spots. I guess what scares me and makes me a little sad is it seems that people have lost the ability to tough things out, or rather to know the difference when to stay and when to change something. There's absolutly exceptions to this rule, when situations are bad and horrible, but I'm talking about the ones where grown people act like 7 year olds and give no thought to their kids, or loved ones when they decide that its best to become a spinning instructor in chicago instead of whatever they were doing yesterday. its that instant gratifiction schtick - know what i mean?

Anyway, i feared that this book would be exactly that - and Hurray because it wasn't! There were no children involved to be thrust to the nanny, and the author was well aware of her decisions and their consequences. Not once in the book did i feel that this was a whiny self indulgent midlife crisis character, rather the opposite - a strong, searching, honest, and open woman who had the means and the schedule to adventure around on a spiritual and joyful journey. it was a wonderful read, a perfect escape from the cold weather here.

Getting into Gear

So it looks like, come May 3rd, i will be participating in the Indianapolis Half-Marathon - running with Bryan and Angie, a friend of his from highschool that's flying in special for this from NYC. I haven't participated in a race since i think i was about 9 and i did the saint patricks day dash in downtown seattle. Neat i think, but very scary. Good though, as we will be "training" and simoultaniously tiring our doggies out.

A few days late (supposed to be cooked on Thanksgiving) but just as delicious - Pumpkin Eggnog Pound Cake with Cranberries. Yum.

And a the requisite picture of the pups - what better way to followup breakfast than with wrestling?

Afternoon Aftermath

Casualties from one puppy:

One pink Nike flipflop
One box of honey crisp apples (apples and the box)
One Sweet potato
3 pingpong balls (chewed not eaten)
1 pair of mens boxers (how did she get those!?) on living room floor

We are now enacting Opertaion Crate Delilah. Still leaving her out at night to sleep on her bed, but boy is she ever getting crated during the day. maybe until she's 72.

Monday Morning

Ok, I fear for a little bit this might become a doggy blog, or at least until that stops being in the forefront of my mind. Bear with me - I promise i will stop at some point!

We've had Delilah now for 5 days - whoa! Today is the first day her and milo have the house to themselves, although really they just have the run of the garage and living room. they've been playing like mad, and by mad i mean like two 12 and 14 year old boys, with enough teeth on neck action to prompt Bryan into saying "i hope you never have two boys" because i was constantly looking at the two of them uneasily. I admit it - i worry. I try to stop it and then the worries just come rolling back over me! So i guess this will be a good time to try and cut that out eh? Bryan's going home to check on them this afternoon at lunch and hopefully there will still be 2 dogs, 1 cat, and some relativly intact living space for two humans.

It's funny though, how much like kids these two are. Milo, who has never been a huge eater, and who we've struggled with to get weight on his bones, is now the worlds best eater. If Delilah eats, Milo will twice as much. If she wants to drink, he'll put her to shame with slobbering up twice as much water. its pretty funny how he tries to out-do her in everything. She of course, goads him on - again and again and again, stirring him up again when they've finally gotten setttled down.

Back at work today - isnt it funny how its always that much harder to go back to work after you've had mucho time off? It was a huge task to get out of bed this morning, out from under the oh so warm flannel comforter and pillowcases and into the rainy wet to walk the beasts. In other weekend news though, we found an Indian grocery store! this was awesome - so much mint chutney to be had! It was a great store, and I'm sure I will be back to investigate, although this time i wont bring two dogs, one of whom apparently likes onion naan.

Also, I found the blog of my friend, outstanding vballer of the past, Jackie! How cool it was to find her online and get reconnect and see what she's up to. One of the many perks of the internet i think. We're having turkey soup tonight (the last of our leftovers - yeeeesss!) and we'll probably watch the Pburgh v. Miami to see if i hold onto my league in fantasy football and pickem!

morning before everyone wakes up

Its morning here - Bryan is still sleeping, there's frost on the grass outside, and the light is just starting to get bright. I'm up with the pups and enjoying the mellow time together - they did so good last night, each sleeping on their own bed the whole night and until this morning when i woke them to take them out.

Success outside and now their both back on their beds snoozing, and its just me and fargus here at the dining room table (fargus who helped himself to the turkey carcas this morning :)!) and who is now tucking himself into the pile of jackets and scarves by the door. What a good making for a saturday morning so far. Are you all still on turkey overload too?

Heart and Belly Full

Meet Delilah, Milo and Fargus's new sister and our newest addition to our little family.



We've been talking about getting another dog for a little while, going back and forth about the pros and cons and finally decided that we were more in favor than opposed. We looked a little bit, and finally found her on Thanksgiving day - what a meaningful day for all of us!

I think we're full up on cats and dogs now and won't be feeling any pangs for adoption again anytime soon - but how neat it is to see the two dogs learn to play with each other and be part of the same pack. Fargus is a little less pleased, but i think we'll do fine - if he could make it through a Milo introduction than i think we can handle one with delilah. The only thing is their both just really really interested in him, and that annoys him a bit.

Its funny to see Milo as the older and wiser dog now - but already he seems so sage and above all her puppy antics. He's interested in her every now and then, but when she comes to lie down next to him, he'll kind of roll his eyes and get up, wandering over to the couch or his bed.

Our holiday has been a quiet one, but a really nice one. Bryan cooked the works for
us, and we enjoyed a full table, and a full house due to our new member. Today we took an inaugural trip to the doggie park which ended up being so much fun - Delilah ran and ran with every dog, wooing every one while Milo caught air doing his frisbee tricks. It was nice also to sit and chat with the people at the park, who almost always are so nice and laid back.

I've been kind of down lately, not really sure why, i think it's a mixture of a bunch of things, but this time at home away from work for the long weekend has really come in handy - getting to take long walks with bryan, play Scrabble and ping pong, and of course keep an eye on the "kids" - these are all good things for the blues!

I got to talk to all sorts of family and friends this weekend, and realized how many people i have in my life that are special - a family who loves me and calls all the time, a boyfriend who is wonderful, friends that surround me from all coasts - and here i am, right in the middle of all the love. its funny - when people have asked me if i'm homesick now that it's the holiday season i usually answer no, its not the specific day that i miss, but rather the every day stuff like dinner at aunts and uncles, or random moments with parents, brothers and friends that are so easily accessible for drop-ins when their all within driving and walking distance.

This thanksgiving I've also thought a lot about all the different places I've spent the holiday - how many different homes I've been in during the past 10 years - moms and dads, and phyllis and scotts, then all my thanksgivings when i was taken in by friends during college - and that one thanksgiving in a hotel in Florida with the UW volleyball team! and now for the past three years its been thanksgiving here with bryan- so funny all those different ways to celebrate the people around us. I know that we aren't perfect by any means, and that sometimes cherishing those around us and in our lives means having taken them for granted at some point - but tonight I'm really appreciative for everyone that has included me in their thoughts and lives - i love getting passed around on the phone and hearing all 14 people at dads house - so much commotion in the background! I loved getting all the comments on my blog from the blog girls - an group that i love even without having met all of them - it seems like such a good group of girls :) and all the texts that i got, saying happy turkey day from far away - too good to be true..