Monte Kitty

A Father's Day Wish

2011-06-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

Though her time with us was short, Dylan was loved beyond words. From the moment we found out we were having a girl, she immediately became mommy's and daddy's girl before we even left the ultrasound appointment. She was loved from the moment we found out we were pregnant.

I want to give my husband a special father's day message. For 38 weeks, you showed love for someone you hadn't even met yet. The joy had from feeling her kick in my belly, to seeing her "wave" to us from the ultrasounds... to the worry when we found out there was something wrong. You stayed strong for all of us. When you held her for the first and only time, however sad, you gave her all your love. We made the hardest decision any parent can make, and we did that with Dylan in our hearts.

It's a different father's day for us. It's one of love for a child who is no longer with us. She never had a chance to get to know how much love was waiting her for when she arrived, but as an angel, I want to believe she knows now. She will always be daddy's and mommy's girl.

Back to life

2011-06-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

June 1st marked the start of a new month and a new 'normal' life. After four months off from work, I walked back into the chaos and pressures that I abruptly left not so long ago. I do have to say, I'm glad I visited my friends at the office a couple of times in the last month, because those definitely made walking through the revolving doors a little easier.

My visions of returning to work originally included a morning stop at the company day care center to drop off Dylan. Instead, I carry her in my heart as I go from front door to elevator to office. After a deep breath, I sit down at my desk and began my day.

I work with wonderful people. My boss, my coworkers... all kind and caring souls. I'm a lucky girl. The first day back is filled with welcoming hugs and genuine smiles that warm my heart. I have to transition back into my job, but I think it will be a painless process.

I was able to get through the first day thanks to the support of my friends. Day two, the same. By day three, it seems like I had never left.

I can honestly say it's good to be back.

I plan too much

2011-05-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

I can't help it. I just do. If there's a trip coming up, I start researching places to eat, things to see and do. We go out to dinner, I've already planned out what to wear (depending on the weather) and will have already checked out the menu online. Upcoming birthdays, the gifts are sitting on the table ready to be wrapped. Christmas? I'm usually done shopping by October.

This is what I do.

While pregnant, is it a surprise that I thought of everything? When the Harry Potter movie comes out in July, I will need a baby sitter. If the fire alarm goes off in our building, I will need to take Dylan outside and possibly will need to calm her down. When I shower and my hubby is not home, where can I put her so that I can still check on her or go to her within seconds if I need to? I was ready.

All these things I over planned for... useless, because my daughter is gone. Now, thanks to my own crazy brain thinking overtime, everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - makes me think of Dylan. The Harry Potter commercials, the fire alarms, just plain showering. I can't walk through the house without thinking about her. Where her basinette would have been. Where she would have played. The empty spot where we had stored her stroller.

Her things are now in storage... maybe one day she will have a little brother or sister who will use them. For now, they are carefully wrapped and put away.

I'm trying to move on in my life without my baby, but it's so damn hard when it's not only the physical things that trigger reminders, but just every day life that I mentally prepared for that eat into me.

What's in my broken heart

2011-05-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

Glee is one of my favorite shows. In the latest episode, the sister of Sue Sylvester (one of the characters) had passed away and they had a funeral for her. During the funeral, Sue tried to give this speech. It was the hardest 5 minutes of TV my husband and I had to sit through. The speech fully expressed what we currently (and will always) feel in our hearts for the loss of Dylan.

We miss our daughter every day. Every minute. We love our baby girl.

"...When you love someone like I loved her, there’s a part of you it’s like you’re attached by this invisible tether, and no matter how far away you are you can always feel them. And now every time I reach for that tether I know there’s no one on the other end, and I feel like I’m falling into nothingness.

...I miss my sister so much it feels like piece of me has been ripped off. Just one more time I want to hold her. Just ten more seconds— is that too much to ask? For ten more seconds to hold her? But I can’t and I won’t and the only thing keeping me from being swallowed whole by sadness is that Jean would kill me if I did. So for now I’m just going to miss her."

I want my daughter back

2011-05-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

There. I've said it. That is what is in my heart. I want my Dylan back.

I want to go back to my 29th week of pregnancy. During that exam the doctor would say that everything is going perfectly. That Dylan's in perfect health. We're going to have a beautiful baby girl soon.

Unfortunately, this is just a dream. Dylan is gone. She lives on in my memories and my heart now. It's an unrealistic wish, but still I long for it. I want her back.

I didn't know how much I would love her until the last few months. She wasn't someone I could hold or talk to, but somehow while she was growing inside me, I fell in love with her, and then she was taken away from me before I could really meet her. I never saw her look at me. I never felt her tiny fingers wrap around mine. I've never heard the sweet music of her cries.

I would have shown her so much love. Love only a mother can give. I understand now. I understand what mothers feel for their children. The unconditional love that one feels that can never be defined. I understand. When people say, "You will understand when you're a mother..." I can honestly say that I do understand now.

My heart is so broken. I know that life goes on. I have to live on. But a part of me died when Dylan did. I will heal in time, but I will never be whole...

A final farewell

2011-05-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

On Friday, May 7th, we got up before dawn and headed out to Turtle Hill. For those who don't know it, it's a small park on the top of a hill in the Sunset District that overlooks San Francisco. It was a very quiet morning. No rush to get to work. No traffic. Just a quiet drive of a family of three together for the last time.

It was still dark, with the sun was slowly making its appearance. Light enough for us to see, but still in need of a flashlight.

Under the tallest tree at the peak of the hill, we dug a deep hole. In it we poured in the ashes of our beloved Dylan. We also put in a small picture. The last picture of the three of us, taken just three days before Dylan was born. This was our final goodbye to our baby.

Though she was physically gone, one of the hardest things to do was to shovel that dirt over the ashes. It's a moment we will never forget, but something very painful to remember.

I just want my baby girl back. I want to go back to February 4th and hear the ultrasound technician say that everything is fine. That we're having a healthy baby.

I want to be in that operating room again and hear Dylan take a deep breath and let out the loudest cry possible. To have her in my arms. To feed her for the first time. To look into her eyes and know that she is my daughter to love and spoil like no other.

Reality is cruel. I can only look upon pictures of my baby girl and wish she would have known how much love we had for her.

We love you Dylan Simone. Mommy and Daddy love you so much. You will never know...

Ten years

2011-04-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago today, I walked down the aisle to marry my best friend. We still stand hand in hand, heart to heart... facing the most difficult time of our lives. The loss of our baby. We stand strong together.
Though our ten year anniversary is not as big an event as I once was planning it to be, I see the important thing is that we are still as much in love as we were so many years ago - if not even more in love.

The two of us, we are a family. Someday, we hope we'll be a family of three, or maybe even four. But for today, we are a family of two with our precious angel looking down on us.

Happy Anniversary Shawn.

Our Angel

2011-04-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

We were a family of three for 25 hours. I never thought I would say those words... but here I am, home, recovering from a c-section, and no baby.

Dylan Simone Tsoi Melikian was born on Tuesday, April 5th at 11:07am.

Unfortunately, the greatest fear we had for her came true. She was not able to breathe on her own. Over 10 doctors tried their best to help her, but...

We said goodbye to our little angel on April 6th. Dylan was approximately 25 hours old.

There are no words to describe the loss of a child. Literally a part of you dies and somehow you have to survive. Nothing will ever heal you, but you find strength in the love and support of family and friends.

What's been going on...

2011-04-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

First things first... as most of my friends know by now, I'm pregnant. We start week 38 tomorrow. I know it's been a long time and my last blog made the promise of an announcement and then I just kind of went AWOL.   Oddly enough, I just haven't really talked about it, but here goes...

The first two trimesters were 'easy'. I really didn't have morning sickness or experience any of the symptoms that you're warned about in the baby books. I had monthly OB appointments that were not earth shattering. Mostly 10 minutes of "how are you feeling?" and a quick listen to the baby's heart beat. All was well.

We found out that we are having a girl. We have named her Dylan Simone. Dylan, just because we like it. Simone is after my beloved grandpa, Simon.

A couple of days before I hit 30 weeks, we went in for my third trimester ultrasound. From that moment, our lives changed completely. The doctor thought I was going into preterm labor and saw some abnormalities with Dylan's heart.   Apparently I was having contractions (though I couldn't feel them) and the baby was breech as well. I was immediately admitted to the hospital with the warning that I may have an emergency c-section if necessary, but the baby would not survive because of her heart issues.

There are no words to describe how we felt with this news. We were at 30 weeks. How could this be happening? Everything had been fine when we were checked just a few short weeks ago.

The last two months of pregnancy have been a miracle in and of itself. I ultimately did not go into preterm labor and we were thankful for each day that we were able to keep Dylan safe and continually growing in belly.

What made this a nightmare was the fact that Dylan has heart issues. Her right atrium is overgrown and her tricuspid valve is too thick - allowing blood to flow in and out, instead of just in one direction. This caused her heart to grow to an abnormal size. This added on the additional worry that the heart took up too much space for her lungs to develop to full size.

So what does that mean for an expectant mom? Weekly ultrasounds, antenatal tests, echo cardiograms, in addition to the bi-weekly OB check-up appointments. Let's throw in two MRI exams as well. I'm also experiencing pelvic pain (most likely from Dylan dropping deep into my pelvis and hitting a nerve). On most days, I can barely walk and need to use a cane. One day last week, my right leg was so painful I needed to borrow a wheelchair to get to my appointments.

Through it all, we've gone from fearing the loss of a child at 7 months to the elation of knowing we've been able to carry her almost to full term and that she is receiving the best care possible from the UCSF Children's Hospital.

So here we are, on the edge of starting week 38. Doctors tell us that Dylan will be delivered sometime during the following week. We're aiming for a birthday of Wed, April 6th.

Unfortunately, I will not experience the joy of holding her in my arms when she is first born. I know this. Fetal cardiology will be taking her away for observation. If all goes well, then she will be moved to the NICU and I can visit her there. "Well" means that she is able to breath on her own and that her heart is cooperating - she could very well need heart surgery.

Let me tell you, while crying is not my favorite sound, come D-day, when I hear my baby's cry for the first time, it will be the sound of music to my ears, because that tells me she's getting oxygen into her lungs.

Big changes coming

2010-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time! Can't really go into it right now, but in addition to being in the midst of a fantastic job rotation and a myriad of different things going on in the next few months, the biggest adventure is going to start soon.

First things first, the Armenian Food Festival is this weekend. Sept 10 - 12. Can't wait. For the first time, we're having the entourage of family attending, so it's going to be a blast. My parents, hubby's parents, family friends...

Next up will be a long weekend in Vegas. YES! My home away from home. We haven't had a real 'getaway' vacation since March. This is much needed.

Is it worth it?

2010-04-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Right now I'd have to say, "Not really." I am in pain. So much pain that I can't cross my legs without the assistance of pulling my leg up and over with my arms.

Yes, I'm another fool who tried snowboarding this past weekend. I do have to be thankful for the gorgeous, fresh powder that covered the beginner trail at Squaw Valley. It saved my butt from turning black and blue.

I tried skiing several years ago. I didn't do too bad. I basically made it to the beginner/intermediate level within 3 - 4 days total of skiing. Unfortunately, one trip landed me with two torn ligaments in my left knee. I stopped for about two years and then after one more try and another big tumble down the mountain (without injury, thank goodness), I walked away from the snow and didn't look back. The fear had grabbed a hold of me and I lost all my confidence. I knew what it was like to get hurt.

It's been six years and suddenly that little voice inside me was reminding me how much fun it was to swoosh down that snow when I was doing well. There's nothing like that feeling, as a beginner, to make a hard stop where you make a giant snow spray. And when that mist settles, you're still standing. Yeah... That was my one skiing moment I'll never forget.

Instead of skiing, I wanted to try snowboarding this time. Don't ask me why. It seemed like an awesome idea at the time.

Off we went to Squaw Valley. We stayed at the lovely Resort at Squaw Creek. All I can say is, it's a beautiful resort. The furniture in the rooms is not my style, so I can't say much about that. The grounds, however, are amazing. Two big pools, three hot tubs, ice rink, several restaurants, several stores, giant outdoor fireplace to cuddle next to, and the thing most appealing to skiers and snowboarders alike... ski-in/ski-out lifts right on the property. Hubby LOVED that. Unfortunately, since I am a beginner, my journey began with a ride on the resort shuttle to Squaw Village for my board rental and lesson.

The next two hours, I can't even describe it. I took a lesson for snowboarding. I guess I was lucky. The two kids that were in my group picked up on the boarding so fast, I basically had a two hour private lesson with the instructor. The kids were brothers, and one of them had never even seen snow before. To be fair, they have ridden skateboards and surfed, so it was no surprise that they did so well. How well? One brother was attempting jumps within the first hour of the lesson. Show-off. ARGH!!! I spent most of my two hours falling on my a$$.

A quick lunch with hubby and I tried boarding for about one more hour before I called it quits. I do have to say, I did a quick walk through The Village, and it is VERY nice. Next trip, I plan to take a little more time to enjoy the area. Maybe get a drink and enjoy it while sitting next to one of the big fire pits there.

Back to the resort and my husband has the CRAZY idea of going to the hot tub. Hello? Did you not see the snow falling? Is it not 30 something degrees? Lemme tell ya, it is the most wonderful thing in the world to be out there in the falling snow, in your bathing suit, sitting in a bubbling jacuzzi.

That night and the next morning... I could not move. Turning over in bed was pure torture. Trying to stand after sitting on the sofa for more than a minute was next to impossible. Raising my arms to wash my hair was a nightmare.

UGH!!! I really didn't learn much from boarding except that it's true what people say - you fall a lot in the beginning. That is not an urban legend. Have I completely given up on boarding? I don't know. I want to learn it. I really hate ski boots and I hate carrying around two skis and two poles (real pain in butt). Nothing beat being able to walk around in those snowboard boots and just carrying one simple board around.

I did better at skiing. All in all, I've only fallen a few times (with the one big one) - so I don't feel like I'm wasting my time when doing that. I don't know...

Well, I have until next Winter to decide. But at this exact moment in time, to answer my own question of whether it was worth it, I would have to say NOOOOOOO! Now give me more ibuprofen.

Back from vacation

2010-03-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's been an amazing week. Friday to Friday, we spent a lovely seven days in Oahu. Plenty of relaxation, but lots of exciting events as well.

In a moment of insanity, I found the courage to go skydiving. I purposely booked it for earlier in the week because I wanted to get it out of the way. Surprisingly, I wasn't scared. Not until the moment when my instructor told me to head towards the door of the plane at 14,000 feet. Yep, I had just enough time to think, "What the hell am I doing?" and I was out the door. No time to react - we were out and free falling. It was surreal. I just remember feeling extremely cold, and the photographer waving to me, and me waving back. I think the free fall was for about a minute and then the parachute was deployed.

My instructor, Dan, was awesome. He let me "steer" by pulling on the cables and we did a couple of spirals. It was crazy. Before I knew it, the ground was coming towards us and my feet were on the blessed ground again. This was one big thing off my bucket list.

Another incredible thing off my list was swimming with the dolphins. Honestly, I think I was more excited about this than the skydiving. All my life, I had never been the lucky little girl who was chosen to pet the killer whale or to pose with the sea lions at those marine parks. This trip, my dream came true. We got into a lagoon (albeit man-made, at a hotel) and had the ultimate dolphin encounter for 30 full minutes. Almost the entire time, we were touching, feeding, playing with, and learning about these wonderful creatures. Ultimately, I got my wish, a picture of me kissing a dolphin. I was in love. The most amazing moment was when I was posing with my husband with the dolphin and we both had our hands underneath him - we felt that strong heartbeat. I can't even describe how powerful it was feeling that pulse.

This trip also gave us the opportunity to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, which we missed during our last trip to Oahu six years ago. Sure we all studied WWII in school, but nothing brings it home to you like this. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't think it would affect me like this. The memorial and the entire park is so well done. Very respectful. Very moving. The day we visited, there were four survivors of the USS Arizona signing autographs. My heart went out to them. It's hard to imagine anyone having to live through the horror they witnessed back in 1941. We payed our respects at the USS Arizona memorial, and also toured through the Battleship Missouri and USS Bowfin submarine.

Aside from a lot of eating, we did one last 'fun' adventure. Whale watching! Not five minutes out of the dock, our boat came across a mother and her calf. It was awesome!!! Never thought we'd see something so quickly, but then it's lucky that we saw them, because we didn't encounter any other whales in the two hour ride.

Seven days and a lot of pounds later, we're home. Lots of experiences that we will never forget, and planning more for the next time we get to head back to Oahu.

Two posts in one day!

2010-03-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is definitely a record, considering I submitted a whopping eight posts last year (compared to previous years). Don't know if I'll get to my cooking challenge this month (because of vacation and all), but I did make something new yesterday that turned out to be FABULOUS!!!

Honey Dijon mustard pork chops with bacon. Oh yeah, pork on pork baby. So, so good. I saw it on Giada at Home and did a smaller version of her pork roast. Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and rosemary. Slather that mixture all over the pork chops (that have been seasoned with salt and pepper, of course). Then drape bacon slices over the meat. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

The crispy, salty bacon paired with the sweet honey mustard spread. Heavenly. Try it! You'll love it!

Checking them off one by one...

2010-03-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is. Something in the air? Something with the craziness that started the year 2010? Things are irking me today.

Every day there is news that reminds me of the reasons I don't like reading up on the latest in the world. People are intolerant, devastating earthquakes everywhere, ridiculous scandals that are really no ones business but with the people involved.

With that said, I'm looking forward to some peace... Getting away from all this BS that is the world today. I'll be away on a beach with a never ending supply of frosty Pina Coladas in my hand. Yep, I'm headed to Oahu, HI. We had plans to go about a year ago, but with Monte being sick, we canceled all vacation plans to stay with our baby. It's time to let go of the world and enjoy paradise now.

With this trip, I will be knocking out a couple of things from my 'bucket list'. If anything, my list is of things I would like to do in my lifetime. They're all doable, though most require a bit of planning and saving.

So, what am I checking off the list from this trip? Skydiving. Yes, I'm going to throw myself from a plane. Like I said, I don't know what it is with this year, but suddenly I've found a burst of courage (this as I'm sitting in the safety of my office). And to clarify, when I say "throw myself from a plane", I mean me being attached to an instructor and screaming for my mommy as he pushes us out of the door. Yeah... I don't know what I'm thinking, but I made the reservations already. I'm gonna do it!

Another thing off the list is swimming with dolphins. This is something I've wanted to do since our last trip to Oahu so many years ago. Money was definitely the reason for us NOT doing it last time, and I've been kicking myself ever since. This trip, there's no stopping me. I'm going to get a picture of me kissing a dolphin.

The rest of the trip is unplanned (except for some must try food places) and low key, as it should be.

When we come back, I'm checking off a third item from the list. A cooking class! I've always wanted to take one. Who knew Williams-Sonoma offers FREE classes? I sure didn't. I'm going to learn how to bake pies and tarts. Yep! I'm excited.

Lastly, we're heading up to Lake Tahoe soon - a little late for the season, I know. I'm going to attempt snowboarding. OMG! I'm more nervous about that than skydiving. Seriously. Skydiving, if anything went wrong, well, it's done. With snowboarding, I could get hurt... and have to recover. Ugh.

The last time I was on the mountain, it was my first time skiing again after my knee injury. I had a really difficult time. I couldn't get past the fear of getting hurt again. The mind is such a powerful thing. I took a really bad fall toward the end of my run, and I took off those darn skis. I may try again some day, who knows. I didn't suck at skiing. I actually picked it up fairly quickly. But of the few times I did fall, I fell hard. Hard enough to really shake my confidence.

I really do want to try snowboarding though. It looks like so much fun. And honestly, I'd rather carry one cool board around than two skis and two poles. I really want to learn some type of winter sport. My hubby skis. And while I will never get to his level (black diamonds), I would like to enjoy time in the snow and feel that rush of wind/adrenaline again.

So, in the next few weeks, I'll be able to check off four times from my bucket list. I'm really excited about it and I'm glad I'm finally doing things off that darn list. The list only gets longer as I think of new things, but that's OK as long as I'm actively checking things off from there too.

Without question, I am getting the picture/DVD package with the skydiving. Will post when I get them. ACK! I'm going skydiving y'all!!! If you hear something that sounds awfully like a blood curdling scream on Sunday morning... yeah, that would be me.

BTW...

2010-03-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

The boeuf bourguignon turned out to be a success last month (January). Each day that went by after the initial meal just got better and better. Isn't that just how stews go? Leftovers are a great thing.

The recipe (from Mastering the Art of French Cooking) was very easy. Every step carefully planned out to bring the dish together like a puzzle. I have to admit, preparation was key. I had all my ingredients laid out and ready to go. That really helped. Other than a lot of steps in the beginning (and timing), it was just 1, 2, 3, 4...

January - Boeuf Bourguingon = Success.

February - Roast lamb = Success.

Last minute AGAIN!

2010-03-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

My goodness! Why do I do this to myself? February seemed to just drag on and on, and before I knew it, it was the last weekend of the month! Did I cook anything from my Cooking Goals list? Nope. Had I even picked anything yet? Nope. Last minute decision, roast lamb. I couldn't find lamb shank like I wanted, so we ended up with a lamb roast. Close enough.

I usually read the recipe beforehand, but again, got lazy and only printed it out when I was ready to cook on Saturday afternoon. Focus in on two words that blew my plans...Marinate overnight. Ah well... no lamb on Saturday.

After a full night of marinating in a whole bottle of red wine, almost a full head of garlic, and lots of lemon juice and various spices, our purple lamb was finally in the oven. Yep, the wine turned the meat purple. Kinda gross, but also amusing. Two hours later, along with preparing some sauteed mushrooms and some Mediterranean style couscous, we had a fantastic meal.

So, I just made the deadline - AGAIN.

Not sure what do to for March yet. We're heading off to Oahu in three weeks (so excited). I may need to exchange one of my listed dishes for something a bit lighter. I just realized that I'm picking off all the meat dishes first and then what's left is a lot of cream based desserts. Hmmm...

Last minute meal

2010-01-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

Well, the Kaymak goal did not work, but I'm not giving up for January yet. Meat! I know I can cook meat and with one day left for the month, I will master something from my list. Boeuf Bourguignon has been chosen. Basically it's a fancy French term for good ol' beef stew. Reading the recipe (I always recommend reading the recipe first) it's very much like braising short ribs, which I know I kick-ass. Hubby says my short ribs are second only to Daniel Boulud, and that is a GREAT honor. No one can touch Daniel's short ribs. No one!

I'm off to Safeway to gather ingredients. I hope to have this place smelling of that rich beef broth with wine and veggies, and of course, beef, in a few hours. Yay!

Kaymak, oh Kaymak, why do you hate me so? I will give you a few months to settle before I attempt making you again.

I'm talking to a recipe... (sigh) It's a sad, sad day.

Failure

2010-01-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, the Kaymak didn't turn out AGAIN. At least this time I didn't burn it and was able to make it into a lemon cream sauce for some pasta. ARGH!!! Frustrating. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I found one more recipe to try. This one calls for 1 tsp of salt. I will have one more go at it.

OK, I know I said I would make something over and over until I got it right - but I didn't take into account complete inedible failure and wasting food. It's the wasting part that irks me. And well, let's face it - I can't keep making full on whole milk and heavy cream recipes.

So, one last attempt at this and I'm moving onto the next dish.

Impatiently Waiting

2010-01-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

Attempt number two at making Kaymak. I followed a slightly different recipe this time.

Heated whole milk to a slight boil. Added a small mixture of flour and milk (prepared earlier), and then added cream. Simmered and stirred for two hours. Hubby and I had to take turns. Finally, poured the mixture into an enamel pan and let that simmer without stirring for 30 minutes.

Let cool to room temp, and then set in fridge for 10 hours.

Well, 10 hours are long over... but I'm stuck at work. I'm chomping at the bit to get home and see how my Kaymak turned out. Will let you know...

I'm very excited.

Cooked cream

2010-01-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's basically what I spent an hour doing last night. I cooked cream. Poured a pint of heavy cream into a quart of whole milk and ladled, ladled, ladled until the top was all foamy... and then tried to let it simmer on low heat - but I guess the pot was still too hot, because before I could stop it, the cream started burning. ARGH!!!

The end result was not so much Kaymak, but a thick off-white mess with bits of brown mixed in. Oh, and let's not forget the wonderful splatter all over my stove from ladling milk and letting it dribble back into the pot about 12" above the surface. Yep, splatter. All over the place. Even though I had spread towels everywhere.

I'm not so upset that the recipe completely didn't work for me, but it's that I hate wasting food. I didn't throw out the cream - will probably make it into a sauce or something, but still... it didn't live up to its potential in the slightest. Let's hope the second try will be better. It's such a simple recipe. I can't believe it bombed like that.

For those who are curious, this is what the end result should look like... And let's just say, mine turned out NOTHING like this. HA!

A slight change in plans

2010-01-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I was all prepared to make Butter Chicken for the January recipe, but then my hubby informs me that he scheduled a gum graft "surgery" for this Monday. So he won't be able to eat it for a few days. This he tells me as I'm holding an ingredient list combing through the grocery store aisles. Great timing.

Quick change... I'm going to attempt to make Kaymak (pronounced 'k-eye-mock') this month instead. What is Kaymak? Oh, what is glorious, dreamy Kaymak? I was first introduced to this heavenly cream during my trip to Belgrade, Serbia a few years ago. It's a white cream with the consistency like the whipped cream cheese that you can get a Noah's Bagels. It's light and fluffy. It's literally the solid thick layer that forms from simmered whole milk and heavy cream.

Doesn't see TOO hard. Simmer the milk over medium heat and ladel consistently for about 40 minutes until a thick layer foam covers the top layer of the milk. Let it cool and store in the fridge for 10 hours. Then lift that top layer of cream off. That cream is Kaymak.

And now, something a little more lighthearted. A little beauty tip I recently discovered for myself. Ever have a nail that broke way down the nail plate? You can't cut it, but it's definitely split and catches on things? Extremely painful. Superglue sometimes can lock it down - but it doesn't work all the time.

A quick solution until your nail can grow out to be cut? Acrylic nails! I bought a pack of the Nailene short, French tip nails. I only applied one nail (obviously to the injured one) and painted over it with a darker color (hides the white tip of the fake nail easily). Looks great - no one can tell it's fake. No more pain from my nail getting caught on things - and it can safely grow out under a protective layer.

Works great - just thought I'd share. :)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2010! I truly hope that this new year brings with it much less drama than 2009. There were good times, but there were also too many sad times.

My grandma had an accident at home several months ago, and has since recovered, but is now living in a 24/7 assisted living home. A painful reminder that she really is getting older, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

Our beloved Monte will have been gone from us for three months come January 6th. We miss our baby every single day. Tears still come to my eyes even from writing about him. Not a day goes by I don't wish to hold him in my arms and feel his rumbling purrs as I smother him with hugs and kisses. That's one wonderful memory I will always have of him. He would let me hold him forever as long as I was continuously snuggling and kissing him. When I stopped, he would want to get down. My darling boy - so patient with his mommy.

With the new year brings new hope and new goals. Less drama and more happiness - that is what I wish for.

So what is my resolution for 2010? I recently watched the movie Julie and Julia. I loved it from the first two minutes in and fell even more in love with it as each minute went by. Like Julie, cooking calms me. It's my way of bringing a delicious end to stressful days. So, that brings me to my goal for this year. Nothing as dramatic as giving myself a deadline to cook over 500 recipes in 365 days. No, no, no...

I am making myself a list of the top 10 dishes that I love, but have always been too intimidated to try cooking at home. I give myself a goal of one dish a month. I figure I would give myself an eating break the months of November and December.

One dish a month - and that means perfecting it and cooking it multiple times within that month until I do. What can I say - some things I can let go of when they're not perfect. Other things, like cooking, I want to do right. I want you to say "YUM" with the first taste.

So, that is my goal/resolution/excuse for eating mission for this year.

We'll see how it goes!

First month, first dish... (drum roll please)

Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Another Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T00:21:00.000-08:00

Third Friday the 13th of the year. I think that is more than enough, thank you. It's been a tough year. Honestly, I'm glad it's almost over. Even though January 1st is really just another day, I look at it as a fresh start - as I'm sure most people do.

Our sweet kitty has been gone from us for about a month now, and each day is not easier. We miss Monte terribly. Sometimes, I feel like he's home when I walk in the door after work - but with the first step I take towards looking for him, reality hits hard. I go to him in his little box now and greet him in my heart.

Work has been difficult as well. Our company recently let go of 500 employees. Very scary time. And while we bid a sad farewell to our colleagues, we also breathe a sigh of relief that we were not chosen to join the land of the unemployed.

Looking back on the year, the prior two Friday the 13th weekends pretty much sucked big time for me. I'm hoping tomorrow will just float by without incident. I never believed in the lore of Friday the 13th before, and I don't want to start - but please let tomorrow just be a normal day. The powers that be can't possibly make it three times a curse!

Farewell to our Monte

2009-10-11T20:25:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - 7:15pm... our beloved Monte finally left us. He fought long and hard, and gave us many scares along the way, but he is at peace now. No more medications, no more tests, no more vet visits.

It's been extremely difficult and only now do I have a little strength to attempt to write anything. And as I type, I already know this will be a short entry.

Monte waited for my husband and I to come home from work before passing away an hour later. We were able to give him many hugs and kisses, and say our final goodbyes. He died at home with us around him, petting him, kissing him, telling him he loved him - and that it was OK for him to let go. And then he was gone.

The week has been filled with awkward moments of doing things out of habit that we did for Monte in the first place. Every nook and cranny of our condo has a story of Monte to go along with it. The hardest part, is coming home and knowing our baby is no longer there to greet us... but that doesn't stop of from saying "Kitty Kitty, we're home!" when we walk in the door. If not out loud, we both continue to say it in our hearts.

Monte was a part of our family for 13 wonderful years. He is greatly missed, extremely loved, and will be forever remembered.

We'll be together again one day my baby kitty, and I can't wait to hear your sweet meows and feel you purring in my arms again.

Ah... vacation!

2009-08-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Feeling much better. Went to Vegas this past weekend. Woo hoo! It started out a bit shaky - not quite the flawless trip, but we made it there and back, so all is good.

Flight to Vegas was delayed 3 hours on Thursday. Instead of arriving there at 5:30p, we didn't take off from SFO until 6:30p! Yes, I was very annoyed. Our hotel had arranged for a limo to pick us up (totally unexpected when we initially booked our trip, but greatly appreciated). Checked into a beautiful suite at the Bellagio - but we were so hungry (it was almost 9pm by then), we basically glanced around the room, dumped off our bags and headed to the cafe for a late dinner. After that, I spent the night sitting in front a slot machine. Hee hee...

The next day, we went to the Miracle Mile of shops at Planet Hollywood. Did some shopping, then went back to our hotel to gamble some more. We had a nice dinner at Olives before heading over to the Luxor to watch Criss Angel's Believe.

Let me tell ya - the show sucked. I don't like Criss Angel to begin with, but I wanted to see this show because it's by Cirque du Soleil. The visuals and music of the show are amazing - and I probably will end up buying the soundtrack - but damn, the rest of it (mainly Criss himself) SUCKED!!!

Five minute montage video of clips from the Mindfreak show made it seem like Criss Angel can do anything. Amazing stuff. But that's all. What did he do live on stage? Disappeared and reappeared elsewhere about 5 times. Each time, we could totally see that it was a body double on stage. How could we tell? Bad wigs, and the fact that when it was obvious that there was a switch, the fake Criss would have his back to the audience the entire time. It was stupid. Oh, and of all people, he actually did the pulling doves out of his sleeves trick. Really? This is Criss Angel - Mindfreak???

Every time he "levitated" the dancers would surround him when he 'landed' - obviously to unhook him from wires. STUPID. And he was dumb enough to comment about how people didn't believe he could do all the tricks from his show?

We were lucky that we didn't have to pay for this show. We had freaking awesome seats, but if we had to pay for them, I'd have asked for a refund. I've never heard such tepid applause from the audience of a Cirque show before. The show wasn't fluid at all. No one was even sure that the show was over until the dancers came out to take their bows. I'm still in wonder as to how Cirque could associate their name with this loser.

Anyway...

On Saturday we went to check out Encore and The Palazzo. Beautiful!!! Encore is an extension hotel of the Wynn, with it's own pool, shopping areas, restaurants/bars and casino. The Palazzo is part of the Venetian. It's mainly a large extension of the shopping mall with restaurants and bars. We didn't see the rooms, but both towers are all suites.

Back to our hotel for the rest of the night. Splurged on a fantastic dinner at FIX. More gambling till the AM hours.

Unfortunately, by Sunday, it was time to go. Plane was delayed about 45 minutes, but that was because there were a million planes in line ahead of us.

It's been a long 4 days, but well worth it. Relaxed, ate some really good meals, felt pampered... short vacation, but every little bit helps. Unfortunately, as we all know, it's so easy to get out of a sleeping pattern. I'm used to my head hitting the pillow around 3am... what a disaster trying to sleep last night - and then to wake up at 6:30am this morning... hope I'm tired enough to just conk out tonight.

Still here...

2009-07-31T14:46:00.001-07:00

I can't believe today is the last day of July. Seems like just yesterday I was looking forward to watching the July 4th fireworks, and now the month is gone. But that's OK... August starts the countdown to my birthday! I'll be (cough, cough!)

Getting older is not my thing. I really don't like it. The 'fun' milestones have past and I just don't like that number getting higher and higher. So, I will just lie, lie, lie... until I get the look from someone that says, "Really? You look much older than that." Anyway...

Latest on Monte... he's not doing so well. We don't know what it is. He'll be chugging along great and then suddenly he decides, "Hey, let's throw a little excitement into our lives - I have a new mystery illness." And a mystery it truly is. For the last two weeks (and this is gross), he's been "going" everywhere but in his litter box. Great. His two favorites spots? Our bed and the sofa. So, he's now banned from the bedroom - and our lovely sofa is covered with a new plastic sheet and puppy pads. Yep, we decided that washing our covers, sheets and sofa cover every couple of days is NOT fun.

Took Monte to the vet for this sudden behavioral change - not a clue. (Throwing hands up into air)

Don't know what to do... it's very frustrating, to say the least. Thirteen years with Monte and he has NEVER been like this. Ever.

We've changed his box. Trying new litter. He has an interest in the box, but then we'll still find a surprise on the sofa. ARGH!!! And I'm completely grossed out. (shudder).

Hmmm, so that's where my July went.

In a mellow mood...

2009-06-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Jimmy left us last night. He had been sick for quite a few years, and now he is at peace. No more suffering. We will miss you Uncle Jimmy.

It's been a strange week with the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. People I've "grown-up" with. All gone.

M.I.A. again...

2009-05-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, but it's been another busy month. I can't believe I didn't write at all the entire month of April. Family events, friend events, workload... too many things happening at once. Didn't think I would ever experience 6 hour meetings, or worse, all day meetings, but I've had a few of them recently - and let me tell ya, didn't think I could get so tired sitting at a table all day long. My brain needs a vacation.

Unfortunately, any time I think of vacation, I remember that we can't leave Monte alone anymore. He needs meds in the morning and night. Nothing big, but we do have to feed him a pill. It's also unfortunate that we don't have many friends who are 'cat people' who can do the pill thing. So, we're trying to figure it out. Got some good offers for Vegas this summer - would love to take advantage of one of them for a long weekend.

At this rate, nothing will be planned for a while... I may need to take off on my own for a weekend and unwind. Hubby will have to stay home.

Things should calm down by September (when my big project at work is over), but that's so far off! WAH!!!

Time just keeps flying by...

2009-03-06T17:22:00.001-08:00

... and I'm trying to keep up.

The last couple of months have been extremely busy at work. As a result, when I get home, I tend to just zone out in front of the TV or computer and just look at brain candy sites, or play video games. I've recently discovered the joy of Guitar Hero... yeah, I'm a nerd.

Monte has been doing better. His blood count is back up. He did have a couple of weeks where it dropped again, because the vet changed his med dosage. When we changed it back, his numbers went back up immediately. I also gave him his shot for the first time last week. My hubby usually gets that honor. I just can't help but feel that I'm hurting him and I freak out. Anyway, I know I can do it now (when I need to).

On a much lighter note, I'm feeling like a kid again - rediscovering make-up! I've found these great tutorial videos on YouTube and have been experimenting with different products and colors. Yep, stuff I did when I started wearing make-up back in high school. Of course, nowadays, there's much more stuff to select from and enjoy!

To the ladies out there, I'm so excited about this one product, I have to share. I don't know how I've lived without this before. Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Girls - it's amazing. I get greasy eyelids that tend to crease regardless of whatever eyeshadow I use. I've used the Shadow Insurance for about two weeks now - no more creasing. Seriously. None! It's $17 at Sephora. A bit pricy, but you use so little of it each time, the tube will last forever. And now I actually enjoy wearing eye make-up because I don't feel it's just being wasted.

Silly stuff, I know - but with work and Monte, I just need some non-serious fun.

Also tried out Everyday Minerals make-up. I tried it only because you can get a free sample kit of three shades of foundation, a blush and a concealer - you only pay for shipping of about $3 (at least, that's what it cost for me). Unfortunately, one of the shades of the mineral make-up made me breakout in hives (light olive), but their flat top brush rocks! So soft - it feels like feathers on your skin when applying mineral make-up. I use it with my Bare Minerals now.

Another great find is e.l.f. (eyeslipsface.com). GREAT deals on brushes... most are only $1. ONE DOLLAR! Where can you get anything nowadays for a buck? Anyway, the eyeshadow brushes are amazing. No more $18 ones from Sephora for me. Ever.

Yep - getting really girly lately, but that's OK. :) These are some great bargains and products and I just thought it would be fun to share with my friends. Enjoy!

Where does the time go?

2009-01-14T13:08:00.000-08:00

Busy, busy... no wonder I've kind of been letting this blog get dusty and cobwebby...

My cold turned into bronchitis - but I didn't know it. Never had it before. Husband dragged me to the doctor, where we discovered I was risking pneumonia if I didn't start on antibiotics STAT! So I did - much better now.

Hubby had surgery on his shoulder (old sports injuries), so I was taking care of him for most of December. Included in the chaos - handling all things Christmas (shopping, wrapping, shipping, cards, dinners, birthday parties) and playing chauffeur. Yeah, this chick is glad the holidays are over. Sad to say, I never did get into the holiday spirit. Aside from the gifts, there was nothing Christmasy in our home for the first time EVER.

Good news is that hubby is well on his way to a speedy recovery. Work is getting back to it's usual busy pace. I'm no longer the designated driver either (very sad during the holiday parties). The stress is slowly going away. WHEW!!!

Looking forward to a calmer year in 2009!

It's been a while...

2008-12-21T11:41:00.001-08:00

Almost a month. So many things going on - there's just no time to really sit and blog lately.

Been fighting a cold for about a week, but it finally did happen - so that's slowed me down. Been doing Christmas shopping and wrapping - something I usually get done by November. So, I've been a little stressed about that. Hubby just had shoulder surgery (for old injuries) so I've been taking care of him. His arm will be in a sling for about 3 weeks, so with that, everything for the holidays falls on my shoulders.

Do I sound stressed? Maybe a little?

Still haven't gotten into the holiday spirit - and at this point, just waiting for Christmas and then New Years... and then looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule.

I did manage to get to Downtown Macy's and check the little kittens and puppies at their SPCA display, and see the big tree in Union Square - those made me happy.

Hoping I'll be able to enjoy Christmas a bit more when it finally arrives. Pass the egg nog!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't been around for a while. Been keeping busy - lots of stuff has happened in the last few weeks, but it's all good. Christmas is looming around the corner already! Where did the year go?

Before all the activities of today starts, I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so thankful this year for my family and friends. My life wouldn't be the same without you in it. Life is good. I love you all.

What a month!

2008-10-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be out of touch for so long. It's been a roller coaster ride with Monte and while it's leveling off a bit now, we're still in the middle of tests and trying to find out what we can do to make Monte comfy.

To spare the details about the endless vet visits, we're at a point where we've found that Monte is just not generating enough red blood cells. No one knows why. He has CRF and anemia is a symptom of it, but he's no where near that stage yet.

Monte gets a shot (at home) every other day for the next three weeks. We hope that this will help kick up the regeneration of blood cells. He's been eating more the last two weeks or so, and has gained back a pound. He's not as boney as he was before. We hope he'll continue to gain weight. He's more active and doesn't feel the need to hide all the time now. He's definitely more loving - nudging us, demanding some hugs.

It's good to hear those loud purrs again.

The GREAT news!

2008-09-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Monte does not have cancer! He does not have a tumor!

We brought him to a specialist on Thursday, and they confirmed it. Poor kitty has gone through two weeks of hell. Blood tests, ultrasounds, x-rays...

The final analysis is that his own body is attacking his red blood cells. No one knows why, but that is why we were seeing blood in his urine, and why he was so sluggish.

He's on steroids now, and some other antibiotics - but we're seeing a whole new Monte now. He's eating again, drinking water, running around, and just so incredibly loving. We can't sit without finding him in our laps almost immediately. And just to hear the most divine music every day (his purr) - there are no words to describe it.

One more visit next Friday to see if he's gained some weight back and to check if the medications are helping his blood production.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers for my little guy. He may be old (16 next month), but he's got some more time with us.

The latest pic - please ignore the horrible coloring. We had to turn off the flash so that Monte's eyes wouldn't have the devil kitty reflection.

The Unknown

2008-09-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

Well folks, Monte isn't doing too well. He's very tired (sleeping all day), and he's not eating much, so he's losing weight. He had a bad cold a couple weeks ago, and he's better from that already - but that didn't bring his appetite back. His whole routine/behavior has changed.

In checking something else online last week, my hubby read something about checking the cat's gums and tongue. Unfortunately, they were very pale - which means he could be anemic. I guess it's a common occurance for cats with chronic renal failure, which Monte has. When he was diagnosed back in March, he was at the very beginning stages of it. He had to be checked twice to be sure - it was so minimal.

We took him to the vet last week. They thought he may have a urinary tract infection - so he's on anti-biotics. Further tests of his blood leaves a question - and that requires more bloodwork and now an ultrasound and a full body x-ray.

I'm freaking out. Words have been tossed out there about the unknown... blood parasites, he may have had a stroke, cancer...

I know he's not leaving us right away, but the reality is there, and doesn't seem that far away anymore. What am I going to do without my Monte? He's everything to me. I held him in my arms today and made a determined memory of what it felt like. I want to keep every memory of him. How his fur feels, what his purrs sound like when I rest my head on him, that sweet meow of greeting when we walk through the door after work.

Cloud 9

2008-09-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Bad weekend. Still getting over a bad cold. Almost had bad news about Monte, but turns out he's OK. Long story short - we thought he had anemia (a common result of chronic renal failure). We took him to the vet and while they did confirm that Monte is mildly anemic, it's not the cause of his odd behavior and lack of appetite lately. Turns out he may have a urinary tract infection. My poor baby. He's on antibiotics now. Hopefully, he'll be back to his old self within a few days.

Why am I on Cloud 9 though? The day started out interestingly enough. Since I've been out of the office the last week, my coworkers took it upon themselves to totally load up my cube with cardboard boxes. A ton of them. Thanks guys.

So there I was for part of the morning, clearing out boxes and plotting revenge. Went for a late coffee run, and on my way back, who do I run into? Our beautiful Mayor, Gavin Newsom. HELLO GORGEOUS. I was so giddy, I couldn't take a proper picture. Luckily I grabbed someone close by and they took the picture for me. :)

I might as well go home. I'm useless today. He's just dreamy.

I'm married, but I'm not blind.

So all I can say is, "Thanks guys for messing up my office, and making me go for my morning coffee run late." HAHAHA!

Some things you just don't want to hear...

2008-09-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

So cruel it is to come home from work and hear a dog outside my window howling and crying. My heart just went out the the little guy. New neighbors downstairs have a beagle and he was just tied with a leash to the gate of the patio area of that condo. Poor baby is totally whimpering.

I couldn't help myself. I went downstairs and stayed with him for a while through the gate. After he accepted that I wasn't going to let him out, he sat by me and I just pet him. He's a good little dog.

A security passed by and told me that the dog had gotten through the gate earlier today, but he wasn't sure if it was the owners or someone else had tied him to the gate with the leash. The dog had been crying for hours already.

While security and I were there, the owners came back. I felt like cursing them out, but I guess they didn't know the dog could get out of the patio area. It's not a small space - he would have had plenty of room to run around. His kennel was also out there and some toys - I think he would have been OK.

Maybe (hopefully) they'll put something on the gate to prevent him from getting out again. But it's so windy here, they really shouldn't leave the little guy outside all day anyway.

Found out yesterday that our new neighbors are smokers too. Can't tell them not to smoke on their own patio. How do I know they smoke? The smell comes straight into our unit. Isn't that lovely? It's 80+ degrees outside lately - can't exactly close our windows. No AC.

Makes me love my neighbors even more.

Sharing my birthday

2008-08-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to one of my bestest friends, Josephine. She and her hubby welcomed baby girl, Kara, this morning. Almost at the same time as I was born. HA! And also Year of the Rat, no less.

Baby is beautiful (from her picture) and mom and dad will be heading home tomorrow.

Welcome Kara! I hope you will know one day how much you were loved before you even arrived. You have two wonderful parents and I can't wait to meet you.

The kindness of strangers

2008-08-08T10:18:00.001-07:00

So, walking back from my usual morning Starbucks coffee run, my friend and I passed by two people hovering over something. Taking a closer look, it was a little yellow and black bird. I mean, if one wasn't paying attention, you could have walked right over it and not even know. It was so small. Poor thing was just sitting there. At first I thought it was a toy, but then I saw his little black eyes blinking. Poor thing - didn't know where it came from, but there is was on the busy downtown street - probably hurt, most definitely terrified.

The two people hunched over the bird said that they had called SPCA and were waiting for them to come collect the little guy. One of them went and found a box cover and then gently placed the little one in it. At that point, we could see that one if its poor little legs was kind of mangled. My heart just went out to that bird.

I personally wouldn't have known what to do. I'm glad there are still people in the world who notice the little things and have the big hearts to do what they can to help.

Business trip

2008-08-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

I just came back from a trip to San Luis Obispo. We have offices down that way and I had to go through testing to pass security and get a special badge.

To make a long, hectic story short... I drove down Sunday afternoon, went through my testing on Monday, packed and was ready to go on Tuesday morning when I received a call that they needed to ask me some more questions. I managed to get the interview schedule for Wed morning.

Still - on Tuesday, I scrambled to find another hotel because the original one I was staying at was booked, and they didn't expect me to need to stay one extra night. So, I moved over to a new hotel - but not before getting a little lunch and managing to lock my car keys in the trunk of the car. Sigh... Luckily, my work sent someone from the office who got the door open and pushed that magical little button to pop open the trunk. WHEW!!!

The stay overall was very nice. The hotels were in Pismo beach and at my first hotel, I literally walked 20 feet and was on the powder soft sand. They even had a swing set - right there on the beach. There's nothing like being on a swing, feet brushing sand, and watching a magnificent sunset in the distance.

Anyway, it was a long drive, but I'm proud of myself for doing it. I've never driven that long a distance by myself before. I used to drive from San Diego to San Francisco all the time during college, but I always had people with me.

So good... but so bad!

2008-07-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

We had a pot luck luncheon today at work. Oh my gosh... totally ruined my diet for the day.

I brought in Balsamic/Sesame chicken wings. Other tasty treats included two kinds of BBQ ribs, BBQ chicken, Peking duck, chow mein, fried chicken drumsticks, Mongolian beef, salad, rice crispy treats, ginger spice cookies, lemon squares... Oh my gosh. I didn't even taste everything - I was too full. But now my bag is full of leftovers I'm bringing home for hubby.

Time for a nice long nap. Might as well. Not going to get any work done for the rest of the afternoon.

Is it just me...

2008-07-30T22:13:00.001-07:00

...0r is this just such an inappropriate commercial? Have you seen the new commercials for this new company called Cash4Gold? Basically, you can sell your gold to them.

The commercial starts with a couple at the dining table. Suddenly, the man starts choking and I guess passes out. Instead of helping, the woman starts trying to take off the man's exaggerated gold jewelry. Then it goes to another scene of an old woman sleeping. She yawns and you see that she had gold fillings. Another woman comes in with a pair of pliers and makes it look like she's pulling those teeth out.

What the F***?

At first I thought this must be some joke commercial, but nope. They played it several times during the show I was watching.

Holy inappropriateness...

Batman: The Dark Knight

2008-07-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

We watched Batman: The Dark Knight this weekend. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. There was just too much hype about Heath Ledger - and I was sick of hearing about him before I even saw the movie. I mean, they were talking about Oscar nomination before the movie was even released in the theaters.

Well, I humbly step back and I have to agree. Heath Ledger was awesome. I didn't know what to expect from him as The Joker, but man! He delivered it. He was freaky, funny, and just left chills going down your spine with his complete insanity.

The special effects of the movie were incredible as well.

The only gripe I have is... what is up with the way Christian Bale speaks when he's Batman??? Half the time you can't understand what he's staying - and it's just stupid. Did he do this 'growl' in Batman Begins? I don't think he did - at least not this bad.

Farewell Auntie Rosalie

2008-06-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a depressing month... we just found out that my hubby's aunt passed away early Friday morning. She was a wonderful and caring woman. She was never without a big smile. We had celebrated her 80th birthday earlier this year.

We will all miss you auntie. You always treated me like your true niece, and I always thought of you as my true aunt. And you always will be to me.

Summer of movies

2008-06-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

The shows are on summer break, so what better time to go to the movies? This is rare. I think we've seen more movies in the theater these past few months than in the last few years! They have some good stuff out there.

Iron Man - GREAT movie. Recommend to everyone. I love Robert Downey, Jr.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - It was ok. I like the other films better.
Sex and the City - LOVED IT! If you love the show - go see the movie. That's all I'm gonna say.

Now We're waiting for The Dark Knight to come out. I hope it's awesome, because the trailers have me on the edge of my seat.

As far as catch up DVDs...

Marie Antoinette - didn't like it, but I loved the costumes and the shots at Versailles.
Grindhouse - if you like mindless blood and guts, go for it. I didn't like it.
I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry - good, funny, another good Adam Sandler movie.
Knocked Up - predictable, but it's good. Not hysterical funny, but good.
Office Space - "Work Sucks" e'nuf said.
Ju-On: The Grudge 2 - once is enough, not necessary.
Shrek the Third - like the first two better.
Fracture - it was OK. Not necessary.
Disturbia - frustrating. So many other things the character could have done differently.
Seasons one and two of Dead Like Me - great show. Big plot holes that should not have happened. Waiting for the DVD movie to come out this year.

Starting to watch Wonderfalls. Only watched the pilot episode so far. Kind of like Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies style of show. We'll see...

Farewell to my grand uncle 15

2008-06-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have a huge family. My dad's side is big (13 uncles and aunts), but on my mom's side, it's crazy big. We're talking 19 siblings in my grandfather's generation. To explain, my great-grandfather had 4 wives (older Chinese times my friends). So, it's 19 siblings divided among 4 women. I guess it shouldn't be too shocking - after all, there is that family in Texas who has 18 children and just the two parents. So, kudos to my dad's parents who had my 13 uncles and aunts on their own.

In Chinese, we don't refer to uncles and aunts by their names in a situation like this. You don't say this in English, but in Chinese we call them uncle or aunt followed by their birth order.

With all that said, I just found out from my mom that my grand uncle 15 recently passed away in Toronto, Canada. I didn't know him well, but as he was one of the closer brothers with my grandfather, I had the opportunity to see him more often than my other grand uncles and aunts.

My grand uncle 15 used to perform magic tricks for me. They were simple tricks, but as a kid, I was amazed - and every opportunity when I saw him, I wanted a new magic trick. I remember he gave me a Donald Duck doll too. I guess my memory of him is that he made me laugh, and he was someone who did things that boggled my mind - and in a way, I loved him for that.

I will miss you grand uncle.

Completely confused - but not anymore

2008-06-21T13:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a big horror movie fan, but last night, I was just completely confused and couldn't sleep until I figured it out - you know, the important stuff in life keeps me awake.

Most people know that 'The Grudge' series of movies staring Sarah Michelle Gellar were produced by the same guy who did the original Japanese versions. Ju-On is the title of the Japanese version. Fine.

Only talking about the Japanese versions now. I've watched Ju-on many times (or so I thought). I read a synopsis of Ju-on 2 - which is about a film crew making some sort of show based upon the terrible things that happened in the house, and then of course, things start happening to the crew members and actors. But when I actually watched Ju-on 2, the story was completely different. It was almost like an extended version of part 1, and revolved around a student - many shots in his school and at his family's home. What? What about the synopsis I had read? Where was the TV crew? Not to mention it was a horrible, low-budget film. Nothing like the first Ju-on I had seen. Did they run out of money or something?

Then last night, they were showing Ju-on 2 on TV again. With nothing else on, I decided to watch it. This time, it was a much better quality film and it was about the TV crew. I was completely confused.

Anyway, after researching on the web at 2am, I finally figured it out.

There is Ju-on, and Ju-on 2. Those were low budget films that showed on Japanese TV. Then a few years later, they made Ju-on: The Grudge and Ju-on: The Grudge 2. So, I guess what happened is that I've never really seen Ju-on, but went straight to The Grudge and then saw Ju-on 2. And then last night it was The Grudge 2.

I'm sure I've confused everyone who's reading this, but I'm happy to report that I understand now. So, out of the 4 movies made, I have never seen the very first one - which I'm going to try to find today and watch.

This is all crazy making, that's what it is. And to top it all off, they're making The Grudge 3 in America, which will be based on Ju-on 2 (with the TV show storyline). There will also be a Japanese version called Ju-on: The Grudge 3 - but I have no idea what that story will be about.

Sex and the City

2008-06-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

OMG - I freakin' loved this movie! I'm a big fan of the show, so I was a little worried that the movie would make a mess of how the stories left off. Surprisingly, it was very well done. I laughed, and I even shed a tear (or two). Kind of predictable story, but that's totally OK. I loved seeing my girls back.

Any SATC fan should not miss this movie.

Why does she do that?

2008-05-31T20:13:00.001-07:00

I admit it. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. I've read all the books multiple times. I've seen all the movies in the theater and pre-ordered all the DVDs. I'm sad that the book series is over. Or so I thought.

First came The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Only seven handwritten copies in existence. Amazon.com paid £1,950,000 for it ($3,859,437.31). All proceeds go to charity. I guess it's nice that Amazon shows pictures of it on its website, and even has synopses of each of the five stories within.

Now, J.K. Rowling is writing a prequel - an 800 word story that will be auctioned off - again for charity. While it's very noble of her to make these huge donations, as a fan, I can't help but feeling a bit cheated by the whole thing.

I don't have $4 million to spare to buy a book. I can't compete in an auction to buy an 800 word short story. But I did have the money to contribute to J.K. Rowling's fortune (almost $400 million, folks). She didn't become one of the world's richest women without my help. I think I deserve a chance to read these additional tales too.

Wouldn't it have been better to actually publish these two books, and then donate the proceeds to charity? With her mass of fans around the world, she would have made much more than $3.8 million to donate.

Just my little gripe of the day.

Yes!

2008-05-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

I finally got my blog looking close to how it used to be. I had switched internet carriers a couple of months ago and was having a hard time figuring out how to transfer all my images from my old service to the new one. Suddenly, the light bulb went on in my head this morning and I got it. Yea!

Speaking of memory...

2008-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to share this! For those who have followed my blog for a while, you know I love to cook and that most of my recipes are based from one of my favorite chefs, Giada De Laurentiis. Back on February 19, I was lucky enough to find out (just in time) that she would be signing autographs at the Crate & Barrel here in San Francisco. I also lucked out that my boss is a total fan, and with his blessing, I took off from work with my mission. They don't let you bring in books to sign, so luckily there was one more cookbook of Giada's that I didn't have yet, so I bought that one, and another for my boss. After about 40 minutes in line, I was able to meet Giada!

She's so beautiful and just full of energy. She was either seven or eight months pregnant at that time, but she's so petite that it was hard to tell. I totally gave thanks to her for her show and making it easy for people to cook really good food.

Like I said, there few people whom I would go out of my way to see. I think I've managed to see two of my top three this year. Michael Ball is my last big one, but I'll have to trek back to London to see him. I heard he's back doing theater now - currently in Hairspray - so I may have my chance. Not like I can just drop anything and go, but knowing he's back on the stage means I'll have more opportunity one day.

Jogging my memory

2008-04-28T11:01:00.002-07:00

So, I've been asked to tell a little more about Lea Salonga's concert - and I'm happy to oblige.

As soon as the Cache Creek self promotion video ended (tacky!), Lea came on stage and the magic began. She's so petite! For those who care, she was in a black sequins top with a long silk skirt. She was amazing - nonstop for over an hour and a half. Three encores! I kind of feel bad for the people who left after she first said "Goodnight" because they missed her last three songs, and most likely didn't know she would be signing autographs - which was announced after the last encore.

I can't name all the songs she sang, but some of my most memorable favorites include:

I Don't Know How to Love Him
I'd Give My Life for You
On My Own
Tomorrow
The Way You Look Tonight
You Must Love Me
Reflection
Imagine
Promise Me
A Whole New World (just a small sample of it)

There were a few jazz songs and one Filipino song.

I really wished that she would have sung Defying Gravity from Wicked, but hopefully, if she comes back to Northern California, I'll have a chance to hear her sing that live one day.

Happy Anniversary to us!

2008-04-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

Seven years today. Time sure does fly when you're having fun - and what better way to describe our marriage. We have a lot of fun together. Not a day goes by that we don't make each other laugh. My husband still has that magic that makes me smile when I see him walking towards me, and I get the warm fuzzies when he's with me.

We celebrated tonight by trying the new steak house near our place - Epic Roasthouse. Oh my - it was so good. We definitely ate too much, because it's hours later and I'm still full!

Wishing my hubby a very happy anniversary, and many, many more years of fun for us.

Flawless

2008-04-27T01:04:00.000-07:00

That's the only word that comes to mind when describing one of my singing idols... Lea Salonga. I guess most people in America would know her as the singing voice in Disney's Aladdin or Mulan movies.

I was first introduced to her talent when, at 17, she auditioned for the show Miss Saigon, and they had a documentary on the audition and production process. She's absolutely incredible. There are very few people in the world that I will make a special effort to see in person, and she is number one on my list. Unfortunately, most of her performances are in the Philippines.

My luck changed when I happened to check her website, and there it was in black and white. Lea Salonga would be performing at the Cache Creek Casino. Within 10 minutes, I had my tickets ordered and the long wait began for April 26 to arrive. Finally, tonight was the night.

My husband and I drove to Cache Creek and it was the most magical hour and a half in my life. She was perfection. I've never heard anyone sing so beautifully. Her voice is absolutely flawless. She sang some of my favorite Broadway songs and only boosted my already deep admiration of her talent.

To cap off the evening, she came out and signed autographs after the show! Seeing my idol within two feet of me, being her fan for over 20 years, it was an amazing moment for me. I hope she comes back again soon. I can't wait. Now that I know she'll sign autographs after the show, I'll bring my camera next time, and not just have fuzzy pictures from my camera phone. :(

Tired of driving

2008-04-18T00:27:00.001-07:00

Life can only be described with one word lately - hectic. Too many projects, too many meetings, planning for more projects - planning includes more meetings. Lots of traveling. Yeah, I admit it. I'm pretty tired of driving from SF to Sacramento once a week for the past two weeks. I have a two night trip to look forward to next week. Which reminds me that I have to book my hotel there tomorrow.

On top of it all, there's my little baby, Monte. He's doing well. The new 'less protein' food wasn't really working for him, so we went back to his original food now. We're still giving him medications twice a day. We're trying to figure out how to incorporate the special food into his diet. He needs less protein, so that his kidneys don't have to work so much.

Some good news in the middle of all this chaos... my friend J is pregnant! YEA!!! All I can say is that it's blessing this baby is coming soon. It's been a rough road - and I'm waiting for the day I see that little girl in J's arms. With this good news, I somehow found time to knit again. A gift for the baby already.

Isn't it cute? I love the little frillies on the edges. It's the Miss Dashwood hat from Knitty. I first saw this on Kuky's blog. Totally fell in love with it, but didn't have any baby girls to knit it for.

Another sweater that I had started a long time ago, and totally lost steam, is this little number.

I first saw this sweater on Cosmopolitan Purls. My friend in Japan helped me track down the pattern book. I've changed the color from a beige and pink yarn, to the white and light blue. I had finished both sleeves, until I realized I had messed up one of them and couldn't easily fix it. So, it was frogged and I'm starting over. I think I got worn out from the switching back and forth between the color yarns to make the stripes. Anyway, I've got back a little momentum. Let's see if it will last through me seaming this baby up.

And now I leave off with this bundle of cuteness. Monte was very intrigued by this piece of bread that had a smidgen of BBQ sauce on it. You can kind of see it. He has both paws around my husband's hand and is pulling the bread toward him. SO CUTE!!!

Monte Update

2008-03-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

The last week has been kind of a nervous time for us. Since we switched Monte's food two weeks ago, we found that he had a problem... well, let's say there wasn't much in the litter box.

Over a few days, he had no appetite and he wasn't drinking water. Poor kitty. So, we brought him to the vet again. After getting x-rays and going over various possibilities of what was happening, the vet decided to go the simple route first and just give him an enema.

That helped A LOT. Monte was pretty much back to normal after a few days of cleansing. He's got his appetite back, drinking water, and so now he's regular again. WHEW!!!

Yes, I'm happy to report that the litter box is in use again. I never thought I'd ever write words like that, but I'm happy. You feel so helpless when you see your furry baby so uncomfortable.

During the vet visit, we asked the question... does Monte really have kidney failure? And the sad answer is yes. It's at the very beginning phase of it, so we really won't see anything different in kitty - but over time, and we don't know how fast or slow this will progress, this will become something we'll have to do our best to make Monte's time with us as happy and as comfortable as possible.

On a less grim note, I'm currently in the middle of Earth Hour. I've got my laptop on battery mode, candles all around, no TV or radio or lights. It's actually very peaceful. The windows are open and I can hear the whoosh of the city around me. If something this simple can help the city save 10% worth of energy - I'm willing to do this again.

I've been going through a marathon of movies the past two weekends. I wanted to watch Resident Evil 3, but totally forgot what had been going on - so I re watched parts 1 and 2 again. Looks like they've left the door open for a part 4. I also watched Georgia Rule - only because Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman are in it. I don't like Lindsay Lohan, but I do admit she can be a good actress. I've enjoyed some of her previous films. Anyway, Georgia Rules, don't bother. It was boring and except for Jane Fonda's character, I didn't like anyone else.

Tonight, I started watching The Maltese Falcon, with Humphrey Bogart. I've only gotten through an hour and then I shut it off for Earth Hour. I'll get back to it later tonight.

Reality check

2008-03-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

This is a story difficult to tell, so I've had to give myself a chance to absorb it before saying anything. About two weeks ago, Monte had a visit to the vet - at the time, after a urine test, the vet said that Monte could be at the beginning stage of kidney disease. WHAT!?!

I looked it up on the internet and my heart just fell. Apparently, kidney disease in older cats is very common - but it's also what will eventually take my little Monte kitty away from us. Could be a few months, could be a few years. Monte about 14 or 15 years old (we got him as a stray). I know he's had a very good life with us in the past 11+ years - he couldn't be a more spoiled cat. But this news really brought me down to reality that there is an end to our bliss together - and it's closer rather than farther away.

It took me a few days to realize that I was upset like he was already at death's door. I cried almost every time I saw him, and he really tolerated a lot of hugs and kisses from his mama. What a good kitty. I've now accepted that, he's OK right now. The doctor said his test showed that he 'could' have it, but it's so faint that it's barely begun. But it's there. This week, we switched Monte's wet food to a formula that doesn't require his kidney to do a lot of work. I guess they leave something out that normal cat food usually contains. He seems to like it. The vet also put him on an antibiotic for a month prevent infection. We think that's what's making him hyper. We cut that dosage in half last night.

Let me define hyper - waking us up several times at night by standing on the bed and yowling at us. Meowing at us several times a day and then leading us to his favorite toy so that we can play together (he never used to do that). He's just got a lot of energy suddenly - which is good, but he's very demanding. When he wants attention, he meows loudly for it. One thing that's pretty nice... he purrs a lot now. I mean, a lot! I've never heard his motor running like that when he's playing - but there it is.

So, all in all, there have been some changes in the house. Hopefully, we'll get down to a routine again (meaning, no more 5am wake up meows). He seems happy and is very loving. He won't eat any of his pills (stuffed into treats) anymore, so we have to do the kitty cocoon and stuff them in his mouth - but aside from that moment of unpleasantness, we're still a happy little family.

Latest update: The vet just told us to stop giving him the antibiotics for the next two days and see if he calms down a little. We'll see what happens.

Playful Kitty

2008-03-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Monte was in a really playful mood this morning. He NEVER does this - I'm so glad I caught it on video. It was so hard not to laugh and hold the camera steady.

And just in case you're wondering, we only use that pink blanket to protect our comforter from little sharp claws. It's from my baby days. I love pink but...

Educate me

2008-02-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

So, someone didn't like what I said about Shannon Sylvia in my last post. Told me that I should "educate" myself before making comments. That Paranormal State was filmed a year before Shannon joined Ghost Hunters International.

Excuse me, "anonymous" out there. This is a blog of MY opinions. As a fan of these shows, I think it's silly seeing one person be the customer on one, and then an expert on the other - getting into arguments with more seasoned 'hunters' about debunking methods. And did you not read Shannon's biography on SciFi's own website? Honestly, I don't care about the fact that she was on both shows. It's stupid that, as it was so rudely pointed out to me, Paranormal State was filmed LAST year, meaning 2007, when according to SciFi she had already hired Ghost Hunters to her home in 2005, which led to her joining New England Paranormal - before she went onto Ghost Hunters International.

Aside from all this 'education,' there was no need to comment rudely on an opinion that I wrote on my own blog. It was an opinion about a TV show.

So, here's some education for you "anonymous." Happy reading.

http://www.leominsterchamp.com/news/2007/0112/Front_Page/003.html

From SciFi.com:
Shannon Sylvia, the newest member of the Ghost Hunters family, hails from Leominster, Mass., just outside of Boston. Shannon's experiences growing up in a small, historic town rife with paranormal activity sparked in her a strong interest in the field, and she has dedicated a great amount of time to investigating unexplainable incidents that for years plagued her parents' home, as well as her own.

Those domestic experiences with the supernatural led to Shannon's relationship with New England Paranormal. First hired by Shannon in 2005 to investigate the activity in her home, the group soon asked her to join their team. Since then, she has worked with the group on many cases throughout New England. She continues to take every advantage of opportunities to expand her knowledge of paranormal investigating by attending conferences as well as devouring countless books on the subject.

Totally weak!

2008-02-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

When the show Paranormal State premiered, I had to watch it. It's about ghosts - of course, I'm going to watch it. But after about three episodes, I had to admit that I didn't enjoy it as much as Most Haunted or Ghost Hunters. So, I stopped watching.

Well, it's a week night. Nothing on TV. I checked Comcast OnDemand and 'hello' there are some episodes of Paranormal State. Thought I would give it another chance.

WEAK!!! In the episode about a condo building that used to be an old school house, the owner is the same woman investigator from the current season of Ghost Hunters International. Are you kidding me? At first I though, it couldn't be the same person. Why would a 'ghost hunter' need help from a group of college students to determine if her place was haunted or not? And the way she was acting on Paranormal State, she was like the victim who didn't understand about the ghostly sounds she and her husband would hear.

Yes, I looked it up. It's the same person on both shows. Totally weak!!! According to her bio for Ghost Hunters, she's been interested in the paranormal her whole life, ever since she experienced something when she was a kid.

OK, I know these shows are for entertainment only - but don't make it so painfully obvious and use someone from a popular show where the person is trying to disprove hauntings, to her being the 'victim' in her own home by ghostly children.

I take my TV too seriously, don't I? ;)

So Sudden

2008-02-14T21:55:00.001-08:00

Thank you to everyone for your prayers about Tiny. Unfortunately, our little one has passed away. Again, cancer was the cause, and it had spread so fast we didn't really have time to prepare for anything. My parents took Tiny to the vet this afternoon, and x-rays confirmed that cancer has spread throughout her body. She was yelping in pain. They had to let her go.

As moms and dads to our little furry ones, this is the most difficult decision to make. It's not really a decision though - it's the right thing to do. It's just hard to say that final goodbye and to let go.

I was in jury duty today, so I was not even able to say goodbye. I didn't get to say goodbye... and that's the hardest thing to accept.

We will miss you Tiny.

Now they're both gone...

Say a little prayer

2008-02-13T20:27:00.000-08:00

It's 2006 all over again. This time our other dog, Tiny, is sick. Dad called me tonight, very upset. Turns out Tiny has not been eating the last few days. Today, she was throwing up white foam, and her legs were cramping. What else could I say but, "Take her to the vet!" Of course, my parents didn't want to - because they were afraid that the vet would put her to sleep. Easier said than done, but it's not what you 'want', but what is 'right'.

If Tiny is suffering, then it's time to let her go. She is a couple years younger than Bubbles was, but this year she reaches 15. The same age that Bubbles was when he had to leave us. I'm not as close to Tiny as I was to Bubbles, but my heart is breaking just the same. I hope I've convinced my parents that taking her to the vet tomorrow, no matter the outcome, is the right thing to do. Even if they don't want to. Unfortunately, I've been called into Jury Duty, so I can't go over to my parents house as I'd like to.

The younger years... Cocoa, Chelsea, Toby, Tiny, and Bubbles.
(Cocoa has also left us. She was taken in by a family friend, and last year died suddenly from an unknown illness.)

This is MY year!

2008-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Gong Hay Fat Choy! This is MY year folks! Year of the Rat! Whoo hoo!!!

OK, so my picture isn't of a rat. It's of my very first pet ever. My hamster, Baby. He started out with the name M.C. Hamster (the person he was named after was BIG at the time, ok?) But after I brought him home, he was lovingly renamed "Baby" by my mom. Baby has long since left us, but his spirit still blooms in the rose tree in our backyard. This is my absolute favorite picture of him. And see? He's got his hands together like he's bowing for the new year. So, for now, and I'm sure Monte will understand, I have to post Baby's picture up to celebrate Chinese New Year!

Ready for a little Yelp?

2008-02-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

My friend recently turned me onto a new review site called Yelp. I had never heard of it before, but now I'm hooked. I'm a writer at heart, but it's a calling that I've kind of put on hold for a few years now. It's hard to find inspiration for things to write about, but with Yelp, I can put all my opinions out there for all to see. Of course, they're just opinions about food and such, but it got my writing juices flowing again. I still haven't really established what style of writer I am, and how many different ways can I think of to describe a dish is good? This is a test for myself.

Check it out - Yelp.

A little OC in SF

2008-02-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hubby decided that he wanted to go shopping today in Downtown SF. Wow - what a rare occasion. We put on our rain gear and headed out. We were running across the street from Barney's NY towards Macy's, and there was a group of people with their umbrellas who had reached the sidewalk before us - but then they stopped right there to wait for the rest of their group. I was annoyed because if they didn't move, I would have to go around the group to get off the street. Attitudes change when it's rainy and windy - I don't mind getting wet, but not when it's because other people are in the way.

Anyway, they moved, and as they were all walking into the doors of Macy's the sole man of the group of girls turned around as he had the door open for them, and it was George. I looked around the group of girls and saw Lauri. And then I recognized Ashley. For those who don't know, I'm a fan of the show The Real Housewives of Orange County. Lauri is one of the housewives who just married George this season. Ashley is Lauri's oldest daughter. The other girls were George's daughters, but I don't know all their names. I didn't recognize Mackenzie until later on, because she's now a blonde too. HA! A mini-celebrity family sighting.

We separated as they went upstairs and we headed downstairs for some food. After some yummy pizza from Wolfgang Puck's we headed up to the shoe department. And there they were again. They were taking pictures with some other fans. I walked around and looked at shoes a bit, then I bumped into them again while they were waiting in line to pay.

After seeing them three times within an hour, I decided to go over and talk to Lauri, who was standing aside with Ashley. She's so nice! Very down to earth. I congratulated her on her recent wedding and how beautiful it was, and she was so happy. Any newly married woman loves to talk about her wedding, and I love anything to do with weddings, so we had a good conversation. George joined in a few minutes later and we talked about where they would be going for their honeymoon and some of the other places they've been already. I decided that I didn't want to ask for a picture because it would be kind of awkward at this point. I'd rather just talk. I wished them well and we all headed in our different directions.

We're back home all nice and warm and dry now. It's been a good day. Got a new top, some make-up, and talked to a 'celebrity'.

New show du jour!

2008-02-02T11:38:00.001-08:00

I've been turned on to Dexter! It's a Showtime original series, and we have HBO, so I have to catch up now. I'm only on episode 3 and I'm hooked! It's one of those disturbingly good shows. Dexter is a man who likes to kill - we see that this started from a very young age. His father basically trains him to use this 'urge' for 'good'. Dexter becomes a blood analyst for the Miami police, and usually ends up taking matters of dealing with murderers in his own sick way. Vigilante? Doing society a favor? Murdering with an excuse? You decide.

Another movie review. We recently saw The Holiday, with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Jude Law. For a 'chick flick' I liked it. Of course, it's predictable, but you're still left wondering at the end. I love Kate and Cameron - so maybe I'm biased, but I enjoyed this movie. Two women, during a rough patch at romance decide to go on Holiday though a house exchange service. So, Cameron flies to Surrey, England, and Kate flies to L.A. You'll have to watch to see what happens.

I'm not fat!

2008-01-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

It's the bag that's too small...

What's cookin'?

2008-01-27T16:28:00.000-08:00

ME! Yes, I've been trying new recipes and loving them!

I recently made Giada's Spice Bean Soup. Lucky it turned out to be delicious because there's so much of it. This is an 8 quart pot! The recipe says to let it boil - and I was like, "I don't think so!"

I had to change to this bigger pot after adding in all the veggies, and then realizing that I hadn't even added the broth yet and the pot was full! What gets me is that it didn't look like Giada was using that big of a pot on TV - and hers wasn't nearly as full as mine. Ah well - the more to enjoy. Towards the end, the soup became almost like a thick vegetable stew. Yum!

A while ago, I saw they were selling Sprinkles cupcake mix at Williams Sonoma. Apparently, Sprinkles are really big in LA. I had never tried them, but I'm always willing to try a good cupcake. I had never tried anything 'red velvet' either. So, I made my first purchase of red velvet cupcake mix.

First off, cover the mixer when you add in the dry mix. It gets EVERYWHERE. It's not like I turned on the mixer to full power. I only had it on setting 1 - but as soon as you pour in the mix, a haze of power is set free and just settles on everything. I've been wiping down all my counters and walls and all the towels are just pink. I love pink, but not when it stains my "supposed to be white and green" towels. I think I used up about 5 wet paper towels after that before they came away white. Anyway, the cupcakes turned out OK. I'm not in cupcake heaven over them. And red velvet turns out to be a light chocolate flavor - only red in color. OK - been there, done that. I found them a little dry - but I liked that they weren't too sweet. Maybe the ones made at the stores are better - probably, or they wouldn't be so popular. Those brown and red dots come with the mix.

And my last big culinary moment of the weekend, chicken pot pie! I used Nigella Lawson's recipe from her Nigella Express series. The only difference is that I didn't add the Marsala wine. It was delicious and very easy to make. There are a couple of things you have to prep, but once you have it, you just throw it all together. Add on a layer of pre-made puff pastry and you're done.

You see that extra piece of pastry sticking out near the bottom of the picture? Yeah, that was the first part to be eaten. :)

That's it. I've hung up my pot holders for the rest of the weekend.

That's Entertainment!

2008-01-07T09:42:00.001-08:00

We recently saw the latest Cirque du Soleil show, Kooza. It is wonderful! Anyone who hasn't seen it should go. Except for one act that was kind of pointless, the other 2 hours of the show is amazing. As always the music and the costumes blow me away. I just don't understand how people can be so imaginative and creative - and just darn talented! I think Kooza is staying around in SF for a few more weeks, and then it is heading to San Jose. Catch a show if you can!

We've also been catching up on movies. I've finally seen Casablanca. I don't know. It was good, but I think my expectations were too high. Plus, I already knew how it would end, because one day it was on TV and I didn't know it was the ending and the 5 minutes I watch were literally the last 5 minutes of the movie. Darn. It was good though - Ingrid Bergman is gorgeous as always.

We also saw The Number 23, with Jim Carrey. It was different. I actually liked it. I guessed wrong at the outcome, so I guess that's good. It's a rental movie, definitely. Wouldn't pay $10.50 for it.

Last night, we saw Casino Royale, the latest James Bond. I was so confused at first because right from the start they talk about how James just got is "00" status. HUH??? Turns out this was supposed to backtrack as the 'first' James Bond story. That's why they couldn't use Pierce Brosnan. Ah... now I get it. It was very good! I really enjoyed it. Daniel Craig was excellent as Mr. Bond. And now, we have to wait for the next movie to see what happens! I hate it when they do that - but I love it too, because now I have something to look forward to. Next movie, we may just have to trek it to the theater.

I also found a new BBC TV show to watch. Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Don't you just love the title? It's a little more raunchy than Sex and the City used to be. It stars Billie Piper (from my fave - Doctor Who). She is, as the title clearly states, a call girl. But it's got a comedic quality to it that I really like. She does the Carrie thing (from Season 1) of narrating to the camera, or looking at the camera to express her feelings. It's funny, but serious, and not for children. Unfortunately, I only found 5 episodes that were uploaded. There are actually 8 episodes. Apparently, Billie Piper just signed on to do another season.

I also found out that this show is based on a book, that was based on a blog. I found the blog and found it to be very interesting reading. I don't know how people live like that - but to each his/her own. She's happy - who is anyone to judge, right? Check it out - Belle de Jour.

One week (almost) down, 51 to go

2008-01-06T00:47:00.000-08:00

I'm still in denial that it's 2008 already. The week between Christmas and New Years flew by, and if not for the picture evidence, it would have been a blur. No, I wasn't drunk the whole week.

One of my best friends from college was up from LA for a visit (finally). With his visit came the excuse to party! Gathering the troupes, we had a wonderful (and surprisingly cheap) dinner at one of our favorite sushi restaurants. A short visit to our condo for champagne and dessert. A brisk walk to the perfect spot near the Bay Bridge for the fireworks with four minutes to spare. It was just enough time for everyone to have a quick swig (impromptu toasts) from the champagne we brought along. It was beautiful.

The next day was quietly enjoyed with my friend and watching reruns of America's Next Top Model. After realizing that there were only a couple of hours of sunlight left, we drove around the city - quick tours of Golden Gate Park, Sea Cliff, Pacific Heights, and a quick hike through Fort Miley. We ended off the day with a delicious dinner at 21st Amendment, and then a sad goodbye to my friend as we dropped him off.

Wednesday brought the first full day of work for me since mid-December. My goodness, the day sitting at the computer was LONG! Thank goodness, I only had to work Wednesday and Thursday. Friday was my regular day off (my schedule allows me to work an extra hour each day to get every other Friday off). I was lucky with the timing of this Friday because of the rainstorms. I did not want to have to wait for the train in that weather. I could only shake my head as I looked out the window at the strong winds that whipped through the trees, and the sheets of rain that pummeled our back yard dog walk area. Not surprisingly, I didn't see a single dog out there that day.

Today, I'm enjoying the first weekend of the new year. I've managed to keep my lazy butt in front of the computer the last couple of weeks and totally catch up on all three seasons of Ghost Hunters, and finish the rest of what I missed of Most Haunted (all seven seasons worth). I'm so proud...

Monday brings my first full week of work. Ugh...

Holiday Wishes

2007-12-25T23:22:00.000-08:00

Presents have been opened. What was left of the feast had been divided into take-home baggies for all the guests and we gladly took our share. After a whirlwind day of non-stop eating and gifts since 10am this morning, we're now nice and warm in our jammies and spending some quality time with our poor kitty - who was left alone all day. Of course, Monte doesn't mind. He still greeted us at the door and meowed and rolled on his back to welcome us home.

Though the last hour of the day draws closer, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

What to do next?

2007-12-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

So, I looked at my stash of unfinished projects and would you believe it? I only have one! The doggie sweater I started earlier in the year. I really don't like how it's coming out, so I may just rip the whole thing and start over. I've learned better techniques in the time I last touched the sweater. I think I will start over.

I like having the option of several projects going on at once, so I've started a new baby sweater. This one will also be for Gavin - but for his 1st birthday in March. I don't have to rush through this one. It's from a Japanese pattern book that I first saw on Cosmopolitan Purls. Check out her blog. She is soooo talented. I love her work. And she is so nice! She totally offered me help when I had questions about the pattern. THANK YOU! It was a while ago when I got the book, but I always remember nice people.

What I'm interested in from the book is a cute striped sweater. My friend K in Japan helped me find the book and sent it to me. I had a friend from work help me translate a few details for the instructions on the pattern. Good thing there are 'blueprints' for the patterns that I can figure out.

Speaking of my friend K, she has two boys in Japan. I only wish I knew how to knit when they were babies. They're bigger now - and as they're in Japan, I have no clue how big they really are now. I wasn't able to knit them cute baby blankets and sweaters. At this point, I'd rather just buy them toys and other goodies. Babies don't care what they get (I mean, honestly), but young boys, they want the fun stuff. And I aim to please. :) This auntie isn't going to get boring clothes and socks for them.

Marathon Knitting for Christmas

2007-12-19T08:53:00.001-08:00

This week I finished not only the baby sweater, but this little guy as well...

Apparently the mascot for the Oakland A's baseball team is an elephant. I don't know these things. Since I only know how to do stuffed elephants, I made this one for my friend at work. I am a SF Giants fan, thank you very much. I'm proud of this one though. I had no clue how to make a mini baseball cap. I found a small hat pattern and 'tweaked' it. Then I added on the bill to the cap. At first it looked like a mallard duck head, so I scaled the bill back a little and squared it off. It looks good (even if I do say so myself). I just may have to make a Giants one for myself. I've thought about selling these, but they're time consuming. I've only taken the random request from coworkers, but I didn't charge them for it. I just wanted to knit and practice - but just don't want to keep any of it when I'm done.

I'm 99% finished with the baby sweater! I just need the buttons. It's the argyle sweater from Debbie Bliss' Special Knits.

It definitely has some flaws, but I tried. The sleeve thing totally flustered me, but I got through it. They both came out the same size (whew!) and I was able to sew hem onto the body without any issues. It looks cute. The pictures in the book are completely useless, so I had to depend on finding pictures posted on the web by other folks who have made this. It looks REALLY cute in pink. Hmmm... I do know some baby girls who would look really adorable in this too.

Of course, I used the pattern size for a 9 - 12 month old, and the thing looks like it would fit a 2 year old. Ah well, better too big now, than too small.

Picking up stitches

2007-12-16T00:48:00.000-08:00

It's official. I absolutely, positively, without a doubt HATE picking up stitches. I don't know if I hate that more than sewing seams together, but it's up there. I was so determined to get that baby sweater done today, and I spent most of it trying to pick up a total of 78 stitches. Unbelievable. And that's just the collar! I managed to finish that without pulling all the hair off my head. Now I have to work on the two button bands. ARGH!!!

This should be interesting because I have never done a button band before. One side will be straight rib stitch - so if I can pick up all the stitches, then it's easy from there. The other side, I have to do the button holes. We'll see what happens.

OH - and thanks to Kuky for easing my mind about that those knots in my yarn. I guess I did just get unlucky and end up with two skeins with knots in them. Sigh...

I've stopped knitting for the evening. I was watching Most Haunted while working on the sweater when I had a very insistent kitty demanding some lap time. Yarn and cats don't mix. Well, not when you're trying to knit. When you want some entertainment, there's nothing quite a cat and a ball of yarn. Clear a big space though, because both will be all over the place.

What the?!

2007-12-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

So, I'm having a marathon knitting week. I need to finish the baby sweater for my friend's baby in time to ship it to her. I'm on the second sleeve and then I have to work on the button band (and I know I'm going to be slow at picking up stitches).

I'm knitting along, getting towards the end of my third ball of yarn and I see a little knot. ??? I mean, literally, the yarn ended and was tied onto another piece of yarn. Since this was at the end of the ball, it was OK. But I thought it was a bit odd.

I've since started on my fourth ball of yarn, and this is what I find.

Another knot! Are you kidding me??? I don't know what to think. I admit, I'm too cheap to go out and spend $7 on nice yarn when I can get it from Ebay for about $3 a ball. This was Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. I don't believe the person I bought these from tried to cheat me or anything though. The yarn looked new. It wasn't rewound or anything - if it was, they did a fantastic job. Each ball had nice, crisp labels on them. I just don't understand.

Is this normal? I've never seen this on the cheap yarn I buy from other craft stores. Why on the nicer yarn? I'm confused, and disappointed really.

Melted for The Melting Pot

2007-12-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

Last night, our friends gathered for our annual Christmas feast. This year we chose The Melting Pot. It's an all fondue style restaurant I had seen them rave over on The Girls Next Door. Let me tell you, it's not cheap, but it was sooooo good. I definitely want to go back there.

They have a four course dinner that consists of a cheese fondue (you get some fruits, veggies and bread to dip), then a salad, then an entree 'set' (chicken, filet mignion, port, shrimp...) with a broth based fondue to cook your food (kind like Chinese hot pot, but with little skewers instead of little basket ladles), and then a chocolate fondue complete with fruits, brownies, cheesecake... oh my gosh!

There are several varieties of the fondue itself you can choose too. My favorite (but I forgot what it's called) is the one that comes with the Big Night menu. It had two kinds of cheese, white wine, roasted garlic, shallots, and dates. Oh and a spritz of white truffle oil. They prepare all the fondues on the table - so I remembered this one. YUM! So, it's not just a simple bowl of melted cheese on your table. It's gooood stuff.

It's definitely fun for a group, but I think my hubby and I would be able to handle it on our own too. Hee hee...

Keeping busy

2007-12-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's December already. I've been frantically knitting away, trying to finish a baby sweater for Christmas. I've done the body and now I'm working on the first sleeve.

Check it out!

Originally, I was making a baby blanket that had multicolored patches with polka dots and strips. Very cute and very ambitious... and so frustrating. I got through about 8 inches of it, and then realized that it took me about 30 minutes to knit 1 row, and then another 10 or 15 minutes to untangle all the little bobbins of yarn. Even though I started earlier this year, I would never get it finished in time.

From a knitting book I received as a birthday gift, I found this cute argyle sweater pattern. It's going to be a present to my college roommate's baby, Gavin. It will be his first Christmas.

Glorious vacation days...

2007-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of the year. At work, this means it's time to check how many vacation hours you have left, and if you're lucky, how many vacation hours you can carry over to use in the next year.

Well, this year, due to all the projects I've been working on, I discovered that I took exactly two vacation days. TWO!!! I admit, I do get every other Friday off because I work 9 hour days - so each week still adds up to a 40 hour work week for me. But I've missed several of those Fridays off because of work. I've done a lot of OT this year too.

So, I have vacation days I have to take or I lose them - because you can only carry over a certain amount of hours. Plus I have those extra days from the Fridays and weekends I ended up working. My goodness.

I'm not complaining, but it's much easier planning a vacation in advance rather than just throwing in days whenever I can take off within the last 4 weeks of the year. But I'll suffer though the last minute scheduling... the sleeping in totally makes up for it. Heh, heh!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

Pies and yams will be cooked and baked tonight, so I won't have time to update my blog then.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! May the feasting begin!

I give thanks for my family and my lifelong friends (who are also my family).

I also want to take a moment for my friend M, who's mother passed away recently. I hope she finds comfort with her family during this coming holiday season, and that she knows how much her friends love her.

Confused

2007-11-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

OK, I don't know what is going on. My blog looks like it's old self on my PC, but now that I'm looking at it on my laptop - it's just nothing but a flat pink all over. I'm getting very annoyed.

All that work this morning... where is it???

Update - I logged into my personal page on Comcast, and once I did that, my backgrounds came up on the blog. That's so wrong - and I never had to do that before. That's ridiculous I have to be logged in elsewhere in order for my blog to look right. I have to play with this some more.

Look what I did today!

2007-11-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

It's not perfect, but I'm working on it. My blog is looking pretty much like its old self again - but with a new funkier background. I like to live on the wild side, what can I say?

Turns out that Comcast did some renovations to their Personal Pages - so my pictures, while still being hosted, had a different site name. Hence, the blah white blog for the last month.

I'm still trying to figure out what changes I can make to make this blog more 'me now', as opposed to 'me' back a few years ago. I love the background - so I want to work around that.

As a parting thought - this is what I see when I look out my window now.

It's from a building that is on the next block. I just noticed it about a week ago, and now that's all I see when I look out the window. Great. I wonder how long it was there before I noticed it? The main question is... What the heck is it???

A different shade of pink

2007-11-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

I found a pink background that I like. If you look at the areas next to the title bar, it's now a light pink scattered square design. I love that. I'm trying to make that the main background, instead of that dark rose color. Try as I might, I'm not having luck finding exactly what part of the code controls that background. I'm thinking it just might be a straight color command. I'll have to figure it out.

I hate this. I had it all the way I liked it, and now I'm basically starting over. I was using the Comcast personal page as a graphics host for my blog images - but for some reason the connection is not being made. The personal page is still there. So are my hosted images. Frustrating.

Think pink

2007-11-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I couldn't figure out what happened with my blog. It was still coming out white. Kind of boring. I'm too impatient, so I just picked this template from the preset ones from Blogger.

It's really pink. I love pink - but this may be wee much. I'll fix it when I have time.

Weird night

2007-11-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

It didn't feel that cold while I was walking from the Muni station to work, but there it was... I could see my breath. Puffs of mist coming from my nose as I hustled it to the doors of the high rise.

So, I just have to say (total change of subject here) that I am so proud of my hubby! He's been a bowler for years, and last night he bowled a perfect game of 300! Whoo hoo! He gets a free ring to commemorate the occasion. I'm so proud of him! I only wish I was there to see it.

Another change of subject - I'm totally into the Most Haunted series now. It's all so cheesy, but when you get into it and the room is quiet - the noises they hear really get to me. Last night, I discovered that they have snippets of episodes on Comcast OnDemand. It's free, so why not?
Hubby was bowling, and he doesn't like the show - so I settled onto the couch to get scared for a couple of hours.

Well, what we've been experiencing lately is that at random times, only when watching OnDemand, the cable box resets itself. It's so annoying!!! With that said, I was watching an episode of Most Haunted that was really 'intense' and suddenly, the picture went out - but I could still hear them talking. Then the power to the cable box completely cut off. Then came back on, but no picture. Then cut off again, and then came back on again. Then I had to wait for the all the channels to reload.

Of course, under normal television viewing, it would have just been a huge annoyance. But while watching Most Haunted? Of course it was the ghost in the machine that was messing with me. After a minute of freaking out that my TV was possessed, I calmed down. Turned off the TV and decided that Most Haunted would have to wait until my hubby came home.

So, I went on the computer. I love computer games and I had downloaded several of them from Real Arcade (love them!). So I was playing for about an hour and suddenly the power to the computer just shut off. Totally went dead. There was panic, confusion, frustration, feeling majorly annoyed, and then finally panic again.

The first panic, of course, was because my computer must now be possessed by a ghost who's messing with me. After getting over that, it was the usual feelings anyone may feel when their computer bombs while you're in the middle of something. Then the panic came back when I the realization that my hard drive may have completely crashed and I lost everything. AAACCCKKK!!!

When my hubby came home, it was such a relief because I knew the ghost in the TV couldn't get me anymore, and it would just be the cable box if the picture when out again. He also calmed me down about the PC. The fact that the power just shut down probably meant that the power supply blew. Not the hard drive. If the hard drive crashed, it wouldn't power down the machine. The fans would still be going. WHEW!!!

What a dramatic night. Ghosts and goblins everywhere - and Halloween was over already. Geez!

What happened to my blog?

2007-10-24T23:28:00.000-07:00

How very odd. I just noticed that when I log into my blog on my laptop, all my background images are gone. The background is just plain white. But when I pull up my blog on my PC, everything is still there. How am I supposed to fix that?!?

Anyway, I watched the repeat of the last hour of the Most Haunted Live at the Winchester Mystery House. It was very entertaining. Real or not, the floating, tilting, spining table was an attention grabber. Even my hubby had to come out and watch it with me a couple of times. Was it real? Can't tell. And if it was fake, how did they do that???

So while it wasn't as dramatic as something being thrown across the room, I was satisfied. I know I will never do the midnight flashlight tour, so this is as close as I'll get to being in that house in the dark. Creepy!

I don't know if I would go back to that house now. Knowing the rooms where things happened before my eyes (albeit it was on TV). .. Eek! I know my imagination would be running rampant. Even if a window were open, the cold breeze obviously wouldn't be from the outside. It would have to be a ghost. Yep - and there I would be on the security cameras - running out of there. Shoving everyone out of my way. HAHAHA!

What the?!

2007-10-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. Last night, there was a Most Haunted Live special - 7 hours straight at the house. Wonderful! I set my recorder and looked forward to, what I hoped would be, a ghost filled TV experience.

So, this morning, because of work, I was up by 6:30am. Because I have my BlackBerry, I didn't have to sit at my computer waiting for emails all day. I turned on the TV and started the ghost hunt.

Luckily, I had watched a couple hours of the program last night already, so I was able to forward through a big part of it, and through all the annoying 'host' commentary.

I don't know if any of it was true or staged, but it's a hoot thinking that a place I've been to could possibly have all this ghostly activity happening. Through all the tapping, bumps, and wailing, I was so looking forward to the midnight seance.

With only one hour left in the show - which would have been at midnight had I watched it live, the show suddenly cut off and went to an infomercial about hunting knives. WHAT?!

A quick search on the Travel Channel site and I found out that most of us on the West Coast lost our final hour of the show. Frustrating. I searched the TV guide to see if the show would replay any time between now and Halloween - and luckily, the last two hours of the show will be shown again tonight. Whew! So, once again, I've set my recorder.

The show really was fascinating. As much as I love visiting that house, I would NEVER do the flashlight tour. You couldn't pay me to go in there at night. Whether it really is haunted or not, I'll just enjoy the fantasy that it could be on TV.

I'm "on call" for just another hour and 45 mins. Counting down the minutes on my Saturday. Sigh...

You can count on me

2007-10-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

My dad forwarded an email to me this afternoon. It was a letter that I wish I had never read - because it was just so sad to me. But I wish I could give this letter to everyone who is thinking about giving their pets away to a shelter thinking that they'll find a new home.

I'd post the letter, but just thinking about it makes me upset. I call it a letter, but it's more like a short story.

In brief, the story is told from the point of view of a dog to his owner. The dog recalls being his master's best friend through the years. Through the dating, the marriage, and the children. Then at one point, the family was moving away because of his master's job. Instead of taking the dog with them, he is brought to the local shelter - assuming that a loving family will adopt him.

The story becomes heart breaking when the dog tells of how excited he would be every day when someone walked by his cage - hoping that it would be his owner coming to get him. Patiently he waits - every day. But his owner never comes.

Then one day, and I'm sure you can pretty much guess why this upsets me so much, the dog taken to be put to sleep. And as his heart slows the dog thinks about how much he loves his owner and that he will continue to wait for him to come back.

As a pet owner, and with several dogs and cats in the family, it is just so hard for me to comprehend how people can just leave their pets behind. I know this happens. Monte was left behind by a neighborhood family, and was luckily welcomed into our home. I'm sure there are reasons peopel do this - and at the time, I'm sure the people thinks it's justified. But I can't help but think, Monte is my baby. Even though he's not my own flesh and blood - he's not just a cat to me. He's my adopted child. As silly as it sounds, that's just the way it is.

When I got home tonight, I went straight to Monte and just held him and cried. I took comfort in his purring. He didn't mind the wet spots that my tears made in his fur.

I made a promise to him that he would never be left behind - ever. I'd rather max out every credit card I have, sell my car, hock my furniture. I would never separate us. When the awful day comes someday when we do have to say goodbye, and as much as I know I don't want to, my hubby and I will hold him in our arms until his last breath - because we both know Monte does not like to be away from us. I will do this for him. Then we will bring him home after he's cremated - and he'll go with whichever of us goes first. But I pray none of this will happen for many more years.

Morbid, I know. I know I'm very emotional right now. You girls can understand. I wish I never read that story. Right now, I'm just enjoying the warmth from the soft, black, furry pillow that is sleeping on my foot.

My baby Monte in one of his brattier moments...

Lazy Saturday

2007-10-06T16:29:00.001-07:00

I'm still getting over my cold. The worst of it is over, but I'm still coughing and my nose is always stuffy. To top it all off, my hubby is sick now too. Sorry babe!!!

It's going to be a crazy end to the year. I can't believe it's October already. What happened to the rest of 2007?!? Work is super busy, but I'm sucking it up because I'm thisclose to landing the promotion I've been working towards all year. We've got a long awaited wedding to attend next weekend. I have to plan a birthday dinner for my good friend next week, and a dinner with the family for my mom's birthday. Then in November, there's another wedding. Christmas shopping also begins then (yes, I shop BEFORE December), so I have to get my list ready.

I just ordered our tickets for the new Cirque du Soleil show, Kooza, for when it comes to SF. I can't wait. But that's not until December.

We're also planning to use up our timeshare week for a trip to Los Angeles. We've been to LA many times, but usually only for a long weekend and it's usually spent entirely with friends - hanging out with them and catching up. This trip will be different. I want to go to Disneyland to see their Christmas decorations (never done that), I want to see the La Brea Tar Pits (don't know why, but I do), I HAVE to see Wicked... and the silliest thing of all. I want to find that beautiful house from Father of the Bride. It was one of my favorite movies and I just absolutely love that house. I've always said that if I had the money, I would just hand over a copy of that video to our architect and say, "Build me this house."

So, lots of fun things to look forward to. I just need to get over this cold so I can enjoy my regular days again.

NyQuil is my best friend

2007-10-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, not so much. I'm still waking up at night coughing. I've been suffering from this cold since Thursday - and only today have I not been hacking my lungs out.

So many things have been going on at work. I think my body just finally told me to slow down. And what better way to do it than to make it physically impossible to breathe through my nose, and to totally lose my voice from coughing so much? Seriously, frogs sound much better than I do right now.

What sucks about the timing of all this? Our company hosts a flu shot clinic one day every year. And I have to get my flu shot. The one year I didn't get it, I was out with the flu for almost three weeks.

Wouldn't you know it? The flu shot day is this Thursday. I can't get the shot while I'm sick. ARGH!!! So, instead of the groovy $5 I would normally pay, I'll have to take time off and probably go find some other clinic to get the shot for $25. Frustrating.

So, this was nothing more than a venting blog today. Sorry folks. I haven't done much in knitting or anything crafty lately. The new TV season has started, so we've just been couch potatoes every night the last week.

We did manage to get in a few movies though. Stranger Than Fiction and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Both were actually pretty funny. I really liked Stranger Than Fiction though, which surprises me because I'm not a huge Will Ferrell fan. That one I would recommend.

We will never forget... 9/11/01

2007-09-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

I've typed, deleted, typed, deleted - and nothing I write seems right tonight.

Today is a day to remember.
To cry if you want to.
To appreciate.
To say a prayer for those we've lost.
To say a prayer for those who have lost.
A cheer to the heros.
A cheer to our country.

In whatever way you feel like, I hope you take a moment to remember our past - and look forward to our future.

Long needed vacation

2007-08-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Our Las Vegas weekend has come and gone. It was a great trip. We didn't win a million dollars, but we didn't lose everything we brought - so to me, that was a successful trip.

We got a great offer at the Wynn, and we were able to enjoy several of the restaurants there. Our first night, we met up with some friends who happened to be in Vegas at the same time. The four of us enjoyed a delicious dinner at Corsa Cucina. I had a filet with lobster gnocchi. Oh my goodness that gnocchi was good. There wasn't much of it, so I ate them as slowly as possible.

The next night, we had dinner at Daniel Boulud. My hubby had had their signature braised short ribs over a year ago and he had been drooling over the thought having it again ever since. We both ordered it. The meat was delicious, but instead of the rich red wine sauce we expected, they served it with some sort of carrot puree. It was yummy, but was a little odd. And we found out that they used white wine to braise the meat. They were going for a lighter "summer" flavor. It was good, but the red wine sauce with the meat would have been so much better.

We got a wonderful table outside with a view of the Wynn's grand waterfall - but it was so damn hot and humid, we finished our meal as quickly as we could and went back into the air conditioning. It was 86 degrees at 11pm at night - that's how hot it was. We didn't eat at 11pm, but we went out for a walk - and hurried back after walking around two nearby hotels.

To round off our all meat weekend (totally unintentional) we had our last dinner at the SW Steakhouse. If ever a filet with a side of creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin could be ever so yummy, this place was it. Wow - it was expensive, but it so worth every penny. We shared a portabello mushroom and corn soup and crab cake (yes, just one crab cake) for appetizers too. We were sooooo full that we didn't even look at the dessert menu. WHEW!

As they say, the person most in need of a vacation is the person who just came back from one. I definitely need another vacation. I love Vegas - but maybe next time we'll get an offer in the months where the temp doesn't go over three digits during the day.

Zombie

2007-08-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

That's the best way to describe me right now. I got up at 5:15am today. Got ready and then got my new fave flavor coffee of the month from Starbucks (white mocha latte - YUM) and headed out to Sacramento for a meeting. I can't complain. I got there in an hour and a half from San Francisco. No traffic at all. I just blasted the radio and had a good old sing along.

After an eight hour meeting (yes, eight wonderful hours - with 30 mins for lunch) I finally headed back to the city around 4:30p. That trip took me over 2 hours.

I'm exhaused. I think for the first time in years, I may conk out before 11pm. I know that's late to some people, but I usually start winding down around midnight. Bad habit. I only get a few hours sleep, but I just get a second wind come 11p or 12a.

I think I'll start getting ready now. I'm too tired to even read Harry Potter tonight. I stayed up until 2:30a this past Sunday reading it. Totally screwed up my schedule.

Oh, and I restarted that stupid poncho for the 10th time last night. I don't know what I was thinking. I was doing the Backward Loop cast on, instead of a yarn over. What the heck was I thinking? So, now with effort number 10, it's as it should be. Knock on wood. If I have to start over again, the poncho will be retired and I'll make something else with the yarn. ARGH!!!

Feeling sheepish

2007-08-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I restarted that baby poncho almost 9 times during my Tahoe trip. NINE!!! I was so frustrated that I even joined a knitting forum for help. As I was writing my plea for help, it suddenly dawned on me what had been wrong and why the pattern wasn't working for me. I was adding an extra stitch to one of the steps. DUH!!!

It's amazing how my eyes played tricks on me for this one. Geez. Now I feel so silly. Yes, I screwed up and misread the pattern. My bad.

So, now I'm working on this beautiful little poncho that I hope to have completed by next Saturday. I'm going to meet my friend for dinner and I want to be able to give this poncho to her daughter.

What else have I been working on? Well, we saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (FINALLY). I loved it. Then I finished rereading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Now I'm starting on the seventh and final book of the saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'm taking my time - I don't want it to end.

I've also been working on other projects. I get bored easily, so I always have a few things going at the same time.

1. Doggie sweater

2. Stuffed airplane

3. Another version on the stuffed elephant - this one will be in an Oakland A's baseball uniform.

Of all things, I don't have any picture of the poncho yet. I'll get one posted soon.

I think I can!

2007-07-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

I bought this book, "Holiday Knits" by Allison Isaacs and Sara Lucas.

From the moment I got this book, I told myself that I was going to make every single item in it. Everything is so cute. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the holiday theme. Maybe it has great pictures that make everything just so appealling. Whatever it is, despite my very busy schedule, I decided to take a break today and knit the baby poncho.

I am not an advanced knitter, but I'm not a beginner either. Other than something just taking time, I can follow a pattern and complete my projects.

Let me tell you, I must be having a very bad day or something because I started that poncho over three times, and finally gave up. Then I tried a baby bootie. That has also been frogged. The needles have been put back in there place. The used yarn wrapped around the remaining skeins. It was very frustrating. The patterns weren't clear and didn't make sense.

The pictures in this book are gorgeous. The book itself is not cheaply made - nor was it cheap. The designs in there are just yummy - but the patterns. Geez!!! I wish I were good enough at my knitting where I could get an idea for something and make up my own pattern. I depend so much on instructions that this really frustrates me - because I don't know how to make all these things I want to make now.

Maybe I'll be brave and try it again another day. Knitting usually relaxes me. Not tonight unfortunately. Bummer.

2007-07-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

Ain't life funny?

OK, this isn't the funny part. I don't know what is going on with my Blogger. I can't add titles to my posts! The title field is there, but I can't click into it or type into it. Frustrating. So, I'm manually creating a "title" within my entry.

Now, my real blog. One boring evening, I decided to search on loom knitting on You Tube. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea what made me even think of loom knitting. I was surfing on You Tube, so I probably saw it as a link on something else. Anyway...

I came across these instructional videos from purlingsprite that just made me completely fascinated with loom knitting. I had no idea what that colorful round frame with all the little pegs sticking out of it could do! Or what it was for. I've seen them forever at the craft stores.

Last night, I was catching up on my taped episodes of Knitty Gritty, and who should be a guest on the show??? My loom instructor from You Tube, Isela Phelps (I figure since she was on TV, it's ok to reveal her name on my little blog). Turns out she has her own blog and has published a book on loom knitting. In fact, she and her husband create and sell looms! What a small world.

So, what am I doing tonight? Happily catching up on the Purling Sprite blog and reminding myself that I have way too many WIPs to even think about starting to take up looming.

2007-07-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little down today

Actually, the day itself was not bad, but there has been a little cloud of sadness over me. Today would have been Bubbles' 16th birthday. Which mean, in another 7 days, he would have been gone from us for one year. One year already!

It brings back memories of what a difficult time it was for me and my family last year during these very same days. Bubbles was diagnosed with cancer, then it seemed to be in remission. Then it came back in full force. He was not able to stand or walk at this time, and my parents lovingly hand fed him all his meals every day. It was a very sad time for all of us.

I hugged his picture today and cried a bit. I still miss him very much. Sigh...

On a happier note, we've been catching up on movies this summer. We just watched Blood Diamond. Very good movie, but since I know those things happen in reality, it was disturbing. I'm sure diamonds are not as rare as the distributors want the world to think, but they control it. And to think of all the carnage that happened in the last, God only knows how many, years - it's just sickening. Anyway, good performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou.

Tonight, I felt like a comedy, so we watched First 50 Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. I liked it, but it was sad at times. I really like both actors, and there were some very funny scenes. If you ever watch it, be assured that the comment they make about a Walrus' (eh em) private parts, is true. Years ago, I went to Sea World with some friends and while visiting the Walrus exhibit... well, let's just say, I have a very funny picture that is evidence of what they talk about in the movie. Hey, if you ever saw it live, you'd break out your camera too.

Earlier this afternoon, I watched Volver, with Penelope Cruz. It's actually very good. I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. Unlike other films, this was completely in Spanish, so I couldn't knit and watch at the same time. I actually had to pay attention and read the subtitles. It's not the best film in the world, but it was good. Penelope Cruz is so pretty, even though she has raccoon eye make up throughout the film.

The All Star Game festivities have begun. My hubby and I just ran outside to watch a short fireworks show near AT&T Park. They're closing off streets and traffic is going to be crazy here. I think I'll be ok getting to work in the mornings, and I can always walk home from work. My hubby has to get to Redwood City. He may try to take the CalTrain. It would be a nightmare for when he tries to get home by car. On Monday, he wants to go to the park, because they're doing something called the Home Run Derby. Should be interesting.

Our Mr. Brooks

2007-06-23T23:56:00.000-07:00

Somehow, I've never heard of Mr. Brooks, the new Kevin Costner film. I guess in my craze of catching up with Doctor Who, I haven't been watching much regular TV lately- so I missed the commercials for this movie.

We went to see it today. It was actually good. It's not on my favorite movie list, but I really enjoyed it. Kevin Costner and William Hurt were very good. Kevin plays Earl Brooks, a man with a seemingly perfect life - who literally wins a 'man of the year' award. But he suffers from what he calls an addiction - to murder. It's a clever movie and I would recommend it.

A few weeks ago, I saw Miss Potter, with Renee Zellweger. I really like this movie - though I don't recommend it for everyone. It's a talker - about the life of Beatrix Potter, who wrote the Peter Rabbit tales. It's a wonderful little movie that makes you want to pack your bags and move to the English Countryside. The scenery is so beautiful. It's a clever movie about a woman whom I knew nothing about - and I came out of it with a new respect for her and her works.

It's been a busy time at work. I've actually been getting some work done this weekend as well. I'm just so thankful that I can login from home and not actually have to go to the office. I'm looking forward to two mini-vacations coming in the next few months. Our annual trip to Lake Tahoe is in July (can't wait). Three full days of just relaxing by the pool and doing NOTHING.

August brings a trip to Las Vegas for my birthday. I've missed Vegas - haven't been there since my birthday last year. My hubby went a few months ago for a bachelor party - so I've been craving the City of Sin. I want to try some new restaurants and finally go see the Cirque du Soleil show, Love. I've reserved the room, now I need to get plane tickets and reserve restaurants and show tickets. Lots of planning, but totally worth it!

Is it really Friday?

2007-06-08T21:06:00.001-07:00

Is the weekend really here? Is it? This week has been so busy, I can't even imagine that I really don't have to get up early tomorrow and then sit through nine hours of meetings. That's all my week has been. Meetings. I get about an hour of 'me' time when I get to work to get my coffee, answer a few emails, catch up with my supervisor... then at 9am I'm off to a conference room. I'm still on this huge project for my company with a deadline of July 31st looming in the not so distant future. So much work to do. So much detail to watch out for. Too much!

At night, I just veg. I'm caught up on my Doctor Who, and now I'm starting on season one of Torchwood. It's a spin-off from Doctor Who. In fact, the word Torchwood is a anagram of 'Doctor Who'. when the Doctor Who series was first starting up again in 2005, the producers would pass on tapes of the show with the code name of Torchwood. Clever!

I'm loving the BBC shows right now. I've found so many shows that I need to watch this summer. I just think they're a refreshing change from the shows that I've been so loyal to during the fall season.

So, aside from a birthday party we're going to on Sunday, the rest of my weekend will be spent watching BBC shows and knitting. I'm either productive at work or at home - not both. HAHAHA! Since I had no choice this week but to really work at work, I will be a lazy bum the next two days. Yep.

Love it

2007-05-26T14:53:00.001-07:00

Lookie what I found!

It's a vintage pink stove. PINK!!! I love these vintage stoves and for the first time actually started looking them up online. Turns out there are a lots of places that restore and sell these vintage appliances.

Of course, my first thought when I saw this was that I had to have it. How awesome would this stove look in our future home. But then reality set in and I know that this would be taking my pink obsession a bit far. I've already got the pink mixer AND pink pots and pans. I think that's the limit my hubby would tolerate. Now, if I were single and lived on my own, that would be another story. I guess having my hubby is worth giving up the pink appliances. ;)

I have finished watching the first two seasons of Doctor Who. They got rid of another character that I liked. I'm rather disappointed. I know it's important to keep the show 'fresh', but they've already changed the main character once, and now they've replaced another lead character. I'm not used to that much change. I don't know if I'll like the new girl on the show during this third season, but I guess I have to give her a chance. The problem I have with her - from just seeing her in the previews - is that it's a girl who was killed in an earlier episode already. What the heck is she doing back???

Anyway...

Got caught up on our favorite shows. Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy - all are put to bed for the summer. I must say, I was not thrilled with the way they ended things off on those three shows - but I'm looking forward to the new season. There were some surprises, and some very predictable 'cliff hangers', but I still love these shows.

I'm so greatful for the long weekend. I'm working on another knitted elephant, and will try to finish up a doggie sweater that I've been working on and off the past few months. I also should get back to the baby blanket I started in January for my college roommate.

Getting back into the knit of things

2007-05-22T23:24:00.001-07:00

It's been crazy at work. Meetings upon meetings.

On my weekend, I spent hours catching up on a newly discovered show. Doctor Who. I remember it from the late 70's/early 80's when it was on PBS. It starred Tom Baker - a Howard Stern'ish kind of guy who had curly hair and a striped scarf (a la Harry Potter). And he travelled around in an old English phone booth. I think when most people mention Doctor Who, they think of this guy.

I had no idea what was going on back then. I was too young. But now in watching the new revamped 2005 version, I understand it's about time travelling and the many adventures our beloved Doctor Who encounters along the way. I also didn't know that the Doctor Who series has been around since 1963 - and we are now on our 10th Doctor (played by David Tennant).

Some of it's quite cheesy - but I love it. The first season from 2005 (the last show was with the eighth Doctor in 1996) had a great actor playing the Doctor - Christopher Eccelston. And wouldn't you know it? He ends up playing the guy with powers of invisibility on Heroes two years after leaving Doctor Who.

Anyway, while having my own marathon TV weekend of watching all of Season One, and about half of Season Two of my new favorite show, I knitted like a madwoman to finish this:

Yes, she's very similar to the elephants I've done in the past - but this one was by special request from someone who saw the original Ellie sitting on my friend's desk - and wanted a little purple skirted elephant of her own. So, here she is. She's knit on size 2 needles, so my hands get cramped up after a while and I keep having to stop.

I've since been asked to make two more elephants, but wearing Oakland A's baseball uniforms. Uh... right. I'll have to figure that out. I just enjoy making things and giving them away. I just like the satisfaction of having made them. But I keep getting request after request to make these - maybe I should start charging.

I also attempted to make a pair of socks for the first time in my life. I read so many blogs and so many people are into sock knitting, I had to finally try it myself. I just used some left over blue yarn from another project - found a simple pattern online and just plowed ahead. It was very simple knitting - quick satisfaction indeed.

First of all, this color of blue for these socks - way too bright (much brighter than the picture shows), but the yarn is oh so soft. The socks themselves... ugly as all heck, but I did it. I made a pair of socks. HA! I rarely wear socks, so this is a 'been there, done that' deal. I think these will have to be donated. I think if I had made them with a more wearable color - I would have kept them. Ah well, they'll make someone's feet cheerier.