When the Cat is Away, the Mouse will Paint!

Maybe I should have been a dentist! I'm not bad with teeth.

(BIG thanks to Pickle for helping me paint today. She is a true artist~WAY better than I am, that's for sure.) Together we knocked out nearly an entire 7 ft. clown head. 

Ok, so that sounds kind of gross, doesn't it?  Awe, yes, Halloween party prep is underway indeed.

While I am doling out props, I also have to thank AJ for putting together an absolutely incredible "Save the Date" video. He rocked that bad boy, big time! If you are on the "exclusive invite list" you've seen it and I know you'll agree that this is the best "save the date", by far, that we've ever had.

Not on the list, but want to be? Email me, we'll talk...

Clowns, clowns everywhere!

What a weekend! We got a bunch of stuff accomplished and I am actually starting to get excited. The party is less than 3 months away, and the pressure is already starting to build. One of the toughest things to do is to simply come up with unique ideas for this kind of party.

Needless to say, I spent a LOT of time on my computer this weekend.

A circus/carnival themed party is not out of the ordinary.

A Halloween party is not out of the ordinary.

An adult costume party is not out of the ordinary.

Now, roll those all into one big party, throw in a lot of gore, adult themes, home-made sets and props and you start to get the idea.

I don't like to throw an ordinary party.

Our Psycho Circus and CarnEvil of Carnage will be anything BUT ordinary.  

I'm busting at the seams with antic-i-PATION just thinking about it!

Underway

It's official, our 2012 Halloween party is underway.

We started off the morning with a clean garage, and then we unloaded the attic. I've said goodbye to my garage for the next 3 months.

Yes, it's fair to say we've got a few Halloween items....We actually went thru every tub and every bag and put some stuff away that we knew we wouldn't use for this year's theme, and this is what we left down!

This year's party?  Well...it's going to be a doosie!

Mr. Piff

A little magic fun for a Friday afternoon.  Thanks to AJ for sharing this with me!

I'm Back!

Well, I'm almost back...it's been 10 long days and I'm missing my blog and my blogging buddies something terrible! Things are looking up around here though, and I have a more positive attitude and outlook on things. Things are starting to fall back in line. I know, I know, this all sounds a bit mysterious, but suffice to say things aren't always bright and cheery, and sometimes one just needs a little break from "things." Let's just say that I took a break from blogging so as not to spill my entire wretched guts and sound like a complete rambling idiot.

Anywhoooo, although things have been topsy-turvy, I am managing to keep a smile on my face (most of the time) and have lots to catch you up on.

For now, I'll just share one of my new favorite creations. I made this "orb" photo on photo shop out of a normal picture I had of Kona. It kind of goes with the feel of my life lately. All swirling around, but you can still see a smile in there.

I'll be back in full swing soon. Promise!

Taking some time

I'm putting this blog on hold for a bit. How long? I'm not sure. I've got some personal things going on that I need to sort out. Hopefully it won't be too long. Please check back.

Yucky

Yup, that's the best description of how I feel. Yucky.

Runny nose, sore throat, slosshy head, body aches. All the fun stuff. 

Summer colds suck.

Wordless Wednesday

The Healing Garden

After our VA visit today, the group enjoyed a little down time in the VA Healing Garden on the second floor. What a wonderful, serene place to spend some quiet time. There are plants and fountains and comfortable chairs and shade at every turn. It is a welcome respite after what can sometimes be a trying time.

 Kona, and Kona with a "perm" - actually his buddy Caleb, a Golden-Doodle!

 Our group for the visit today.

 Me and my boy!

 Sometimes its nice just to sit and relax.

Here I am!

It's Sunday afternoon. Where has the weekend gone? Whoosh and it's flown by! It's been a busy few days around here...from our party on the 4th...where we had a house full.

 The 5th took us to the cemetery. The 5th was the 6 month mark of my Dad's passing.

The 6th took Kona and I to the VA for our normal Friday visit. We are back on track with visiting our Veteran friends every Monday, Friday and every other Wednesday.

We visit with the staff too - this is one of our favorite nurses, Gregg. He has a heart of gold, and the dogs love him!

What? ANOTHER golden in the house? No, just an adorable kitchen towel from our friend Joan.

On Saturday we went to visit our dear friend Valerie in her new home. It's been TOO long since we've seen her and her sweet babies, (and Kona's siblings Joey and Kealani) This is Kealani relaxing under an avocado tree. She is such a doll!

Harley was a happy girl!

Today Hubby and I were on a bargain hunt for Halloween stuff. We did pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Its amazing what you can find when you look. One man's trash is another clown's wig...well, you get the picture.

After the hustle-bustle of the past couple of days, I feel like Kona looks here....pooped.

"Bridegroom"

I saw this on George Takei's FB page this morning, and watched the entire video. Then I watched several others that are associated with it, and made a donation to the Kickstarter project. What a talented young man, what a story, what a tragedy.

Things like this should not happen. Let's try to prevent them from happening in the future. Please help Shane make his documentary if you can.

It's Pretty Cool What People Think Of

“A Conversation With My 12-Year-Old Self" - borrowed from a post I found on a radio station FB page.
A filmmaker named Jeremiah McDonald made a video of himself back in 1992 when he was a dorky 12-year-old, and asked his future self a bunch of questions. And now he combined it with new footage, so it seems like he’s interviewing himself. He posted the finished product on YouTube. It’s called “A Conversation with My 12-Year-Old Self.”

The Empty Chair

In just a few hours our house will be full of friends. We are expecting about 30 today, not bad for a quick throw-together kind of 4th of July party. We'll have burgers, and brats, and apple pie, and nachos and play in the pool, listen to music, and of course play some cards. Chairs will be littered with colorful beach towels, the dogs will be in all of their glory running around enjoying all of the people (and searching endlessly for scraps that have be dropped or plates of food that were haphazardly left at nose level...)

I know it will be fun, but again today I find my heart so heavy. Yesterday was the same. I woke up thinking about my Dad, and how it was just 6 months ago that he fell and broke his hip. That was January 3rd...on January 4th we were still visiting him in the hospital...on the 5th he went in for his surgery and never came out.  I'm not sure why it's hitting me so hard these last two days. Maybe it's the 6 month milestone? Who knows.  All I know is that I miss him terribly.  I've been thinking of him SO much...he loved days like today. He should be here, in his "regular" spot, playing cards, and whipping up on everyone.

Instead, there will be an empty chair.

I hope they play cards in heaven.

A Clairvoyant Congressman? I think not...

The following is a letter I wrote to our local congressman, Brian Bilbray yesterday, in response to letter he sent addressed to my Dad on June 21st of this year. I obviously know that it was a computer generated letter, with my Dad's name simply inserted in the blank "name" spot, but to be perfectly honest, my Mom and I are tired of getting these types of things, ESPECIALLY from politicians, thanking my Dad for his recent support, etc. It's one thing when you really do go to a meeting and ask questions, etc., but to send out a blatant bullshit piece of mail, well,  to those of us recieving them, it just gets to be downright offensive.  Anyway...here ya go.

July 2^nd, 2012

 

Dear Mr. Bilbray,

I would like to congratulate you on your spectacular clairvoyant gifts. I knew you were a man of many talents, but had no idea that telepathy was one of them.

 

I wanted to thank you for letting me know that my father, Arnold M. XXXX, participated in your tele-townhall meeting on June 20^th, as noted in the letter sent to him dated June 21^st, 2012. I consider this to be simply incredible, considering my father passed away on January 5^th of this year.

 

If he did, in fact, participate, and was actually ASKING QUESTIONS as your letter stated, I would implore you to share your talents with me, his daughter, as I would LOVE to be able to communicate with my dearly departed father.

 

However, if he did not personally participate in the tele-townhall meeting, as I strongly suspect he did not, I would ask you to kindly REMOVE HIS NAME from your mailing list so that we, his grieving family, will no longer receive such insensitive and simply insulting letters from your office.

 

Sincerely,

Susan A. XXXX

Enclosure (1) - I inserted the letter he sent, so he could see how ridiculous it was to say that someone was there that OBVIOUSLY wasn't...

Too harsh? I think not.

Rant finished. Thank you.

More Fun in the Sun

After a lovely lunch with an old high school friend today, I had the pleasure of visiting with more of my high school friends, sisters Marie and Joanie who were both visiting from out of town. Marie brought her daughter with her, and Joanie brought her son. The pups didn't really care who was visiting, as long as someone was hanging in the pool with them.  Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the afternoon!

Joanie adores the dogs, and I think the feeling was mutual!

 Joanie and her son.

 Kona and Harley taking a rest...

 Me and Marie...we've known each other since the late 70's!

 Marie and her sweet daughter.

Pool Fun Anyone?

It was a lovely day for some pool fun with the pups! They had a ball (yes, pun intended...) and thoroughly enjoyed themselves!

I love my happy, tired dogs!