Chaos...but life is still good!

Just thought I'd let you know how our day is/isn't going:

I'm in the Sound booth at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (checking decibel levels for Skip Barber Races,) our home (Escalade fifth wheel) is still at Camping World (convection oven just came in yesterday so they will be installing it today), Toby is at the groomer in Carmel Valley, Gary was out getting mail etc, bought two new batteries for the fifth wheel (which had gone dead last night while we were spending the night at Camping World-30 month batteres which we have had 30 months plus 12 days-boy do they plan that!) when he heard a BIG thunk in the truck so he is at Natale's getting something done (that won't be cheap)

Gary didn't do so well in Tahoe (I think-I don't like to know!)

Oh, woe is us!

THEN...I'm going through my E mails and here is the "Real Simple Magazine" thought for the day! Wonder what our "secret order" is for today?

"In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order."
– Carl Jung

We go to the snow-South Lake Tahoe

"I think I'll just stow in Betty's suitcase."From our window at Harvey's

West Fork of Carson Creek

Can you see the white dog in the snow?

Most of us Californians don't get much snow where we live so we "go to the snow" so here I am writing from the warmth of my room and enjoying the glorious snowy scenery of Lake Tahoe and the mountains!

We dropped the fifth wheel off at Camping World in Gilroy yesterday morning. The convection part of the convection/microwave oven has failed so it will be replaced, thankfully it is still covered by the warranty. We will pick it up on Thursday on the way back to Laguna Seca.

Back to the snow story...we again chose to drive the scenic Highway 88 up to Tahoe and were treated to the breathtaking beauty of new snow, the result of the latest snow storm last weekend. Although it was cold, in the low 20's, the sun was shining and the snow was dropping from the pine trees, often times startling us when it plopped onto the windshield.

I love to "GO TO THE SNOW!"

From my window-flowers in the rain

Even in California we love Spring!
While it was raining earlier this week I looked out my window and thought I actually had an artichoke growing on my plant! Grabbed my camera and took pictures of my "artichoke," and also the miniature roses and narcissus blooming in my container garden. Raindrops on the plants sparkled when a ray sunshine popped through. (I don't think they are very evident in these photos.)
After further inspection I see that my artichoke bloom is, in fact, not an artichoke at all -- darn! I DO have an artichoke plant in this pot but the flower belongs to another, unknown species to me, plant!
Vivian, my daughter-in-law to be someday, has a green thumb and loves to layer bulbs and plants in pots so I never know what will pop up!

Today the rain is about gone so I went out to take a few more pictures. The "artichoke flower that isn't an artichoke flower" is sprouting these cute little purple flowers, the miniature rose is being visited (is that a bee or a fly?) and the bleeding hearts plant is blooming.

Toby update

Toby has now been living with us for three weeks. He is SO smart and learns quickly. We think he is very close to being THE perfect dog! HOWEVER, he has one idiosyncrosy which we are working on with him: he is very protective of our house. He is so friendly and affectionate to visitors UNTIL they move! Then he goes into an agressive mode. Scares the bejeebies out of everyone! Other than this he doesn't even growl!

We're working on socializing him so he knows we all love the people who come into our home.

Toby's one week anniversary

From Toby:

Today is my one week anniversary living with Betty and Gary! It has been a good week. I think I will stay forever.

The first couple days I was shy and did a lot of observing but I sure got over that quickly. I'm now showing my true outgoing and gregarious nature. I've met a lot of people and am always friendly. If I do say so myself I am really quite a popular guy here at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. (I have been exhibiting my alpha side with Jorden, Betty and Gary's 17 year-old grandson. Every once in awhile I give him a grrrr to show him I'm boss - I think I will get over that soon though.)

Boy, is it fun to play here. I start in the living room, run and make a long jump, skipping all three of the steps up to the bedroom, then another HUGE leap up onto the bed and then back to the living room. I do this a bunch of times. My people think it is so cool.

At night we are all comfortable as long as I stay in my area at the foot of the bed. I do love to sleep.

My walks are fun - there is so much space here to run and sniff.

I'll stay in touch.

Love,
Toby

Note from Betty: I know this is silly - just give me some time - I'll get real soon!

Meet Toby Thomas - our new adopted Bichon Frise

Hi,

I am in my new home and I'm very sure I'm going to like it although I am pretty shy now. Right now I am just observing as I sit on the sofa with my Gary.

On the way home we made a stop at the In 'n' Out so Betty and Gary could grab a burger. They ate outside in sight of the truck so they could watch and see how I reacted. I am proud to say that I was very good. (although I did bark a bit.) I dozed the rest of the trip to Monterey.

I was reluctant to go up the steps into my new home so Betty carried me, then she turned around to close the door and I jumped out and took a little run! Betty, Gary and their 17 year old grandson Jorden were shocked and at first ran after me so I kept running. Then they remembered that foster parent Russ had showed them that I will lie down if they lower their hand and say "down" First they said "Stop" and then "down" so I stopped and waited! I am such a good dog! (And they have definitely learned a little more about me!)
I am so happy that I will be moved from the "Available Dogs" to the "Happy Adoptions" section of the www.bichonfurkids.org website!
Love,
Toby Thomas

Its been two years since our Bichon Frise Murphy died at age 17-1/2. Up until now we just couldn't interest ourselves in getting a new dog. We knew we would eventually want another Bichon (great disposition, small dog and, since they have hair and not fur, they don't shed!)

Then randomly this past Tuesday-I hadn't checked it for months and months- I happened to see the link for the bichonfurkids in my favorites and went on to browse. Toby popped out. Should we send an application...oh dear
BICHON FURKIDS RESCUE is in LaCosta in Southern California...that's a long drive...oh well we'll make the drive if...we'll send it and see what happens. And so we E mailed it off - making sure we included information on Murphy, who was adopted from the Carson (CA) Shelter in 1989 and our other adopted dogs from the past: Great Dane Dutchess, Dalmatian Pepper, poodle/beagle Nikki plus our Irish Setter Tina (not adopted), Kikki the calico cat (adopted), Nanny the goat, Billy the cockatiel etc. etc.

Since they didn't have a home inspector in our area we were instructed to complete a home inspection and E mail photos of the exterior and interior of our home. We made sure we explained that we are full time RVers living and traveling in our fifth wheel.

Bingo, we were approved! Then...the foster parents called; they weren't in Southern California, they were just up the road (freeway) from us in Oakland! So close...this was becoming more and more like it was meant to be. (PLUS..the foster dad's name is Russ-the same as our son!)

It WAS meant to be!

So, this morning we drove two hours to Oakland. When they opened the door and we saw Toby, it was love. So here he is, at home with us - our new dog Toby. Isn't he cute?

Dolls-another of my hobbies

Naturally, since I live in a 36' fifth wheel, I don't have space for my dolls. I keep most of them in our storage unit but have my two American Girl dolls here so Mary, my granddaughter, and I can play with them. For those of you familiar with American Girl dolls and what they cost I have to tell you that I found "Kirsten" (blonde) at a thrift store in Pahrump, Nevada and paid $3 for her. Aren't you jealous? Mary named the dark-haired girl Kristy last time she was here. I bought her on E Bay.

I just sent this E mail to Mary telling her about the girls new outfits: Hi Mary,

Check out our dolls' new outfits! The red one on Kirsten is ruby ballet (it has white ballet shoes and even includes a necklace!) and the green on Kristy is an Irish Dance costume. It has shoes, arm bands and a cape PLUS a head band with curly wig attached! They are both so beautiful. American Girl doll Company was having a really good sale and I just couldn't resist buying these two outfits.

More fun next time you come!

Love you Sweet Pea,
Grammie

Carnegie Libraries...my hobby

These are pictures of the one that got me started in my love of Carnegie's (and not incidentally, my love of reading and books!) - Minot, ND. Here, in the first grade I checked out my first book, Little Black Sambo! It is now an Art Center. Original fireplace which I remember vividly. And original tile in the entrance.

I have been meaning to begin writing about one of my favorite travel hobbies - finding and photographing the Carnegie Libraries of America. And, so, tonight as I answered an E mail from one of Gary's Heber Springs (Arkansas) High School classmates (actually his wife Teresa) I decided to use that E mail as a beginning.

Let's see, I think I am up to 58 now (there were 1,658, of course many of them are gone, but I have many to go!) - did really well this year when I got 13! Four in Louisville alone.

It's pretty easy to find those on the National Register of Historic places because they have addresses. The remainder I just have a list I got from the book "Carnegie Libraries Across America: A Public Legacy." by Theodore Jones. So...we drive through the towns on my list (I mark them on our road map.) From experience I know that the libraries were traditionally built in the center of town and, with their distinctive architecture, are pretty easy to spot. Its really fun since we also get to see small towns and/or the older areas of larger towns. Of course, when we are on the road towing the 5th wheel we are about 53 feet long so it is a challenge for Gary to drive on downtown streets and then find a place to park while I run to take pictures! If the library is open I always go inside and usually get into a conversation, sometimes a lengthy one!

Update on our movie marathon

Yes...we are still on a roll with our movie marathon! We've seen 12 movies since Jan. 2 - only a couple of them at home with a rental DVD! (last night The Duchess and Dark Knight) Since the movie theaters are usually so busy on weekends we decided not to go yesterday but then Gary said "what time are we going today?" so a quick check of the Monterey County Herald's entertainment section and we were off to see Frost/Nixon!

Grandson Jorden is a WWII in Europe history buff so on Friday we picked him up from school and saw Defiance.

Since The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story I have subscribed to it on http://www.dailylit.com/. So far I have found that the movie very very loosely follows the short story!

In the midst of seeing all of the heavy movies we took a break and went to see Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson in Last Chance Harvey.

I note brief comments in "love the movies" here in my blog.

Movies and skunks

Watching the Golden Globes put us into the "going to the movies" mode. So we've seen five in the past week - all of them good! Gran Torino, SlumDog Millionaire (Really good - I wasn't too keen on seeing it but it is so good), The Reader, Doubt and Revolutionary Road - we're on a roll! We'll see how many of them get Oscar nominations. (Every year we try to see the nominated films before the awards ceremony.)

All of them are pretty heavy so I'm ready to see something a little lighthearted and mindlessly entertaining - maybe the Dustin Hoffman/Emma Thompson Last Chance Harvey next?

Haven't had much on the track this month so we've had time. Worked yesterday (BMW Club) and I'm working Skip Barber 3 Day school tomorrow and Monday - then back to the movies on Wed!

(OOPS, Gary just looked out the door - skunk on our deck!) Didn't dare try and get a photo of it!