I Spy...

...with my little camera eye... Mabel Lou sunbaking:

I just love the sight of my beautiful girl enjoying a good winter snooze! I'm amazed this photo came out at all considering a) how far away I was and b) how dirty my office windows are!

Do You Ever?

This photo of Mabel Lou slinking out of the shrubbery after checking on a buried bone has nothing to do with this post other than it makes me happy... and I need happy!

Have you ever had a day where so many little things go wrong that you need to hit the reset button??? OY! Did I ever have one like that yesterday!

All was relatively calm until I decided I was hungry. I got Mabel in the car to head to the grocery as my cupboards were bare after being away at the CHA craft show for four days. Only, the car wouldn't start.

I called my mechanic up the street. He will usually send someone to jump me off and take the car in... A lovely side effect of living in a small town! Only, he couldn't... too many guys out with the flu! I was on my own.

I called AAA and since we have so many auto repair shops in the hood, they were here in five minutes and... the same guy had been here before! He jumped me off but the car wouldn't hold an idle... so he followed me to the mechanic! And then all those little silly things started.

Since I was starving, I stopped by a local burger joint on the walk home for a grilled cheese. I knew my hiking buddy was working - her house is between mine and the mechanic - and since I had food, I decided to walk home on "my" side of the street. Mabel will drag me down their driveway otherwise.

A few houses into our walk, this massive shepherd charges his gate and I stepped weird and twisted my ankle.  Along the way, I realized I had dressed for our 40 degree days we'd been having... and it was 75! I'm so pleasant when I'm over-heating...NOT! 

So I was practically dragging Mabel, not wanting to stop anywhere. Because the tow guy was following me, I didn't clean out my car beforehand and I'm carrying an armload of crap (I don't carry a purse...so imagine carrying your valuables by hand!).

We crossed a side street and Mabel took a dump right in the middle of the street. She only started pooping on concrete this past year. I don't know if it's an old lady dog thing but suddenly she doesn't prefer grass! I get my baggie untied... put my lunch and belongings down and by the time I've scooped... she's pooped two more places and I have ONE baggie.

By now, I'm screaming at her and the neighbor comes out of his house. He brought me two more baggies. I started scooping the other piles and suddenly some short bus is honking at my upturned behind! It was the neighbor's mother coming home from her day care facility and Mabel and I were in the way.

I finally make it home and I'm so overwhelmed... worried about the cost of the car (new alternator...ugh) and feeling beat up by the world, I tossed my lunch on the counter and went to bed! I kept waking in waves of nausea but was too dizzy to get up so I kept going back to sleep. I finally woke after dark and couldn't get warm. Mabel always has a sense of me when I'm cold and she draped her body over mine...not fun but always warm!

When I was fully awake, I realized I had left the back door wide open and clothes on the line! Now, I'm thinking I must have also been having a severe allergy attack on top of the little frustrations!

But I'm wondering... am I the only one? Have you ever had to reboot in the middle of the day???

Ice in the Fountain Photo Essay

It's been bone chilling cold here in LA LA Land. Considering I live in a mountain adjacent micro-climate... it's even colder! For the past few days I've been leaving for the craft show down in Anaheim before the sun has risen and kicking myself because I can't get decent shots of the water fountain in the darkness.

I'm finally done with the show and was up early enough to shoot a few beauty shots. Ice always fascinates me!

Mabel and Auntie Aly

I forgot to post my fave pic of Miss Mabel on her trip!

My college room-mate, Alyson, has a magical way with animals. Mabel had not seen Aly in a few years since Aly stayed with us for several weeks for her International High School Reunion. (She was a diplomat's kid and grew up in foreign and exciting places!)

Miss Mabel is just "buttah" around her Auntie Aly... she melts!  I just love the expression on her face as she soaks up the love!

Mabel's Adventures Down South

Mabel got to take a plane trip for the first time in seven years over the holiday. I've posted these to Facebook throughout the trip but thought I should share them here thanks to my lack of any blog fodder. Hope you enjoy.

I adore the look on the Lou's face when she realized this strange car was suddenly up in the air. She turned to me and her face simply said, "Mom, that's just WRONG!"  She did whine a bit over the ocean and then settled down for a long nap. When she woke up, she started barking at the wing! We rode for quite a bit with the shades down.

My brother - in - law picked us up. I snapped a pic of Mabel with her special way of sitting- booty on the seat; paws on the floor.  I just love this as I've never had a dog sit like this. When we flew home there was no one in the middle seat on the plane and Mabel sat like this for a few hours!

The first day at Granny's was a warm and toasty 74! Mabel was jet lagged and in heaven! Lots of ham and a good sunbake! Who could ask for anything more?!?

I took lots of shots of Mabel and her cousin Bailey.

After a few days, Mabel got protective of Granny's yard. She's on squirrel patrol here.

Every night, Mabel would tuck her Granny in bed. She did this extra early on Christmas Eve... I think she knew Santa was close!

Miss Lou had a really good trip and she certainly kept my nerves much calmer being with me.