Basketball and Camel Spiders....

Whoo HOO!!! North Carolina Tar Heels took the title last night....which is good...since the Commander-in-Chief had them going all the way in his NCAA pool. I'd like to say it was an exciting game...but since I went to Pirri's yoga class...I missed most of it. And it doesn't look like it was that exciting...oh well...

On to more exciting things. During our wonderful lunch on Sunday with the Birkelands and antiagos...Leonard told us "deployment" stories regarding the Camel Spiders. Okay...maybe it was the desert heat getting to him...but, the picture of the Camel Spider below...is yes, albeit scary...but, not the "Steven King" type of spider that Len described. (Len's story? let's just say it involved a helicopter, unfastening his pistol in case he had to shoot a spider, and something about "legs as long as going halfway up the wall...") Here is a website if you want to read about Camel Spiders.

Either way....I don't like spiders....these are still WAY TOO BIG....and I am SO HAPPY Len is safe and sound at home in Poway.

Things a person SHOULD DO, and things THEY SHOULD NOT!!!!

This morning we woke up, had a wonderful breakfast, Grandpa made some killer fried rice, and then went to Hanamatsuri Service at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas. They had a beautiful flower altar with the baby Buddha statue in the middle. As the story goes, when the Baby Buddha was born, it rained sweet tea...hence the sweet tea that is poured over the statue.

I couldn't get a picture of the altar because we snuck out....SHHHH!!!!

Unfortunately, we didn't hang out to visit...because we were meeting the Birkelands and Santiagos at Casa Sorrento for lunch. (Marsha and I went to grammar school with the owner, Mike Hacket. Unfortunately we missed seeing Mike). As you can tell...it was P.J.'s birthday!

Okay...now for the things YOU SHOULD NOT DO. NEVER NEVER NEVER fight with a cat. You may not lose...but you will get hurt. just ask Jeff and my cat Shaq. BTW: Things you should do....listen to your wife...WHEN SHE TELLS YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE CAT...or, try to pick him up by the scruff and instead you grab his 3 week old incision!!!!! (Okay, you don't get the full effect...but, Shaq claws and TEETH were involved....they are still not speaking to each other).

Baby Blanket #2

Yeah! I finished another baby blanket....This pattern was fun...I might do it again...since I have another blanket to make. Right now I am taking a break from BABY blankets...and am making a nice soft blanket for ME!!! Of course it is mainly purple with blues and a little tan mixed in...

I have two more blankets....both boys...to make....if anyone has any quick and pretty patterns...let me know!

Sweater update....still knitting away....I took apart the right side and am currently doing it over...

In Memory of Kiku

Everyone hates to lose a pet....today, we had to take Kiku to the Vet. When we woke up this morning, she was struggling to walk. She has arthritis in her back hips...and by the afternoon she couldn't walk. She would sit up and roll to her other side. Honestly, I thought that maybe there was something we could do for her...but, the doctor at Banfield (PetSmart) said that the only thing we could do, would be an oral medicine to improve her quality of life...but, she would still not be able to walk...and this would be a short-term solution. She said that I could take her home with a 5 day prescription....but, we should really think about "putting her down" by the weekend. Jeff and I talked about it and decided that it wouldn't be fair to her ... so, we talked to the boys and we said our goodbyes.

Kiku was a very loving and good cat. She was really good with the boys and has been going to sleep with either Neil or Jordan (mostly Jordan for the past 6 months) every night. She was our cuddler, purrer, and just snuggler. She loved being "tucked in" under the covers and would stay there for hours. When Jeff and I got her and Shaq, they were kittens and could fit in one hand. I still remember how I freaked out when I lived in my apartment because I couldn't find Kiku...I kept hearing her meow...she had crawled under the wall heater...luckily the heater wasn't on.

That was about 17 years ago....she lived a long, loving and privileged life of a housecat...as her food bowl says "Royal Highness"....

Our Anniversary Dinner....

So, the day started out wonderfully!!! I had breakfast with Michelle and Makaela at Panera...I love Panera...yes, I was there yesterday with Nick for lunch....

We had a great breakfast celebrating Michelle's birthday and my wedding anniversary...(yes, I celebrated it WITHOUT Jeff)....afterwards, we visited with Steve and Doreen at The Flower Shop.

The day ended with dinner at Black Bear in Gilroy. Karen and Haku met us "halfway" to deliver Jordan's retainer that he forgot at their house in Monterey. Thank you guys...you are GREAT! Jeff was VERY disappointed in the food/service at Black Bear...which is a bummer...guess we will only go to the BB in Salinas.

Side Note: When I walked into Neil's class today, one of his classmate got me...what is an April Fool's joke to a 2nd grader? "Your shoes are untied"....I didn't have shoe laces. sigh! Then Julie, Neil's teacher said that Neil tried to "get her" by telling her that Jeff and I got married on April 1st...she was surprised that it wasn't a joke....now, come on Julie...think about it...are you really surprised?

Lunch Date!!!!

Usually lunch involves getting together with the "girls". Today, I was really lucky and I had lunch with Nick B. (AKA Uncle Nick from Canada)...we had a really nice lunch and chat. I am sure he found our conversation about wine humorous...but, hey...what can I say????

Here is a picture of Nick and me.

A while back I posted a picture of Lori (aka Auntie Canada), Nick's wife, and I @ Peets. It was the picture of our shoes because Lori didn't want her picture online...(I did find her in a matter of seconds...). So, here are Nick and my shoes....

Friends, Friends, Friends!!!!

We spent last weekend in Salinas with my brother Dean...and dog sitting. This is a picture of my mother's "baby"....she went to the groomers. The funny thing was there was a page of what to do for the dogs (Kristy is an outside dog...she doesn't have a bow on her head....) and cats...but, no mention about when Dean needs to take his medicine...hmm....I wonder what that means....
On Sunday, we met Elizabeth and Brian for breakfast at Sang's Cafe and then we made a Costco run. (Dean took this picture....um, at least he got "some" of Jeff in this picture....the 1st picture was a great shot of Eliz, Brian and me...no Jeff)...Sang's Cafe is a great place...a typical "greasy spoon" that boosts a sign that reads "John Steinbeck ate at Sang's". It is right by the National Steinbeck Museum...which we haven't been to yet. Maybe this summer.
Monday was a wonderful day! It started with coffee at Peet's with my friend Jenny!!! It's been a while since Jenny and I were able to catch up! I really do miss all my friends at DCTM. I can't believe her daughter is towering over BOTH of us and is in high school...(Megan...um, I NEVER received your basketball schedule...make sure to send me your volleyball and basketball schedule NEXT YEAR!!!)
It was a day of DCTM people! After meeting with Jenny, I ran some errands, checked in with Grandma and jetted over to P-town for lunch with Toga and Fu. hee hee...it sounds like characters from the Lion King! It was a great visit...and we even were able to harass Fu about his "future". (Fu: we are ALWAYS ready for a Vegas Trip!!!)