28 on the 28th

My mother-in-law recently informed me that I would be turning 28 on the 28Th of March. I hadn't really given much thought to the number equivalent, but astoundingly enough, she was right! (Example: Say you were born on October 18Th. Then your day would be turning 18 on your 18Th birthday. Get the idea?) She explained that everyone is allotted one of these birthdays,but only if they are really lucky. Here are some pictures from my 28 on the 28Th. Somehow, I managed to not capture my sister in these...

Tiffany made BEAUTIFUL cupcakes. They were almond frosting with yellow cake. YUM!

My mom and me. Posing by the food. We really couldn't help ourselves. Courtney made Brochette. We also had chips and salsa from Salsarita's, little smokies in bar-b-que sauce and Summer sausage with cheese and crackers.

Corey and me. Weird lighting inside, but I think the picture still looks kind of cool.

Me and Jackson. Look at his "sweet face"! Love that beard too.

Mark and Eric. I don't know how they come up with these pictures, every time, but somehow, they manage.



Tiffany, Courtney and me. Cheer poses followed closely by America's Next Top Model Impersonations.


My bestie. He brings me more happiness than 28 birthdays on the 28Th combined. Thanks for the soiree honey.

*I feel pretty lucky.

and now he wants to walk...

My sweet nephew Ryan is growing up so fast! I just seems like yesterday when the waiting room at the hospital was filled up in the anticipation of his arrival. In reality, it was almost a year ago! I can't believe it! Here he is. Now he wants to walk.

Here is the newest footage of Ryan.

As you can tell, (I hope- this video is a little dark) he gets a little mad when you let him stop.

To my favorite boy.

Love,
Aunt Hedda

Next Blog, if you please.

Have you ever wondered what the little button at the top of your screen that says Next Blog will do if you push it?

Well I did. I'm nosy. I mean curious. Anyway, it will take you to a blog you have probably never seen before. It might also be written in Chinese, Japanese, Indian or some other language hey failed to offer at your local high school. I tried to resurrect some of my Latin and figure out what some of them meant, but no dice. I did translate one thing, but it was in Spanish and was fairly easy: uno. I guess I get no points for that.

Here are a few blogs I found that I was sort of interested in. It's nice to read outside of your comfort zone from time to time. Check them out!

nonamefarmranch.blogspot.com
this one was about a farm in Texas where the livestock eat out of bathtubs. No really. I swear.

Christinasart.blogspot.com
Featured various pieces of art. It was different, but neat. The one of trees I particularly liked.

atsummer08.blogspot.com
A blog about a couple who hiked the Appalachian trail in the summer of 08. They encountered a rattlesnake and a terrible thunderstorm on their journey. They even came through Rocky Top!

Fixed.

My favorite little slutsicle, Bruisetta Mae got fixed today. She had two litters of puppies back to back, thanks to our neighbors: who can't keep their dog in their own yard. Enough about my neighbors. I took her this morning and the procedure went well. She's still stoned and walking around bumping into various items such as the doorways and tables.


Here's her before shot. Looking alert and excited to be in the car.



Here's an after shot. Groggy and sleepy....



And then she got comfy. Really, I don't know how riding in my backseat, on your back, with your legs in the air -just after having your uterus removed could be comfy, but she slept that way the entire ride home.

So, No more puppies for us for a while. Unless Saber has a litter, and that is unlikely. She's 8.

I think I will miss whelping, to be honest, but I think I am done. For a while, anyway.

From Economic Hardships to Earth Friendly Ways to Save!

As most of us know, the economy has seen better days. We are all trying to do our part around my house to keep the rising cost of essentials down. Examples: Mark and I (well, OK Mark) installed a "navy shower head" in the downstairs bathroom. If you haven't heard of or seen one, they look like a really small version of the one most people have in their homes. The cool part about them is they have a little button on one side you can push to turn the water off while you are showering. The idea is to turn it off, lather up, turn it back on and rinse. Believe it or not, this little guy has made a difference in our water bill! We have also been overly watchful to turn out lights in rooms we aren't occupying and leaving the windows open to compensate for cool air. Our electric bill was down $50 dollars when we first started doing this!

We also recycle. Plastic, cans and newspaper. We were doing glass as well, but they don't take it anymore at the recycle center we use- which was frustrating. How can you not have a glass receptacle at a recycling center?

Anyway, this week, Mark showed me a clip of people who are REALLY dedicated to saving the Earth and a little money at the same time. Have you heard of an Earthship? I hadn't until I saw the You Tube Clip about it. It's neat, but the water part would kinda freak me out. I would love to be able to live this way, but I guess it seems to good to be true. You be the judge. You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbxhpG-Y4Q Enjoy!

Spring Was in the Air

Last weekend and the early part of this week, spring was in the air. Mark and I opened up our back porch to enjoy some warm weather last weekend. We even worked in the yard! I decided it was time to make the spring cleaning list, 2009 Edition. I started in our bedroom, cleaning everthing that would stand still. The curtains got washed, the window sills cleaned off, fan blades dusted, etc, etc. We even threw open the windows to let the fresh air inside. Next I repainted the bathroom cabinets. Lookout closet doors, you're next!

Anyway, Mark sneezed his way through the weekend, and today I fugured out why....
This bush is called a Weeping Forsythia, I believe. Anyway, every year when it blooms, Mark's allergies go crazy. And so they have. I offered to dig it up and cut it down, but he thinks it's pretty and provides a nice buffer between our yard and our bad fence neighbors. So it stands. The picture isn't great, because it was dark, but here she is in all her allergic glory.



I captured this at sunset from the back porch. It's really quite lovely, I think.

And here is Mark enjoy some time on the back porch. I believe the expression is a by product of beer and allergy pills.

Last weekend was a wonderful break in the cold weather. Today we were way back down from the 70's, but I'll take it. It's March! And that means warm weather is on the way!!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Neil Sedaka had it right. Breaking up is hard to do.

Have you ever been in a relationship with a friend where you just weren't on the receiving end of that friendship in a really long time? You'd been there for that person for one reason or another, over and over again, but never really got anything in return? This is my status at the present. A person who I have thought of as more than just a friend, like family, really, has put me in this situation.

I think I may have to break up with him. I've put a lot of thought into this. I've asked myself how much does this person mean to me and is the thought of losing him as part of my life really so terrible? I have to say, it's still a little unclear to me at this point. When I think about all the good times we've had versus the bad, it's pretty equal. I have been watching him spiral down further and further. I have made my want to help him apparent, we've discussed it time and time again, but nothing has changed. Well, maybe that's not true. I think things have gotten progressively worse for him in the past year especially. What to do? If a person doesn't want to help themselves, you can't make them. Do you let the part of yourself that is connected to that person suffer as well? And how much suffering is too much suffering?

The part that I keep grappling with is that this person was THERE for me when my dad died. He was present in my home for weeks afterward, watching over me while Mark was at work. He was the best thing I could have asked for -aside from Mark, in the weeks that followed my fathers' death. Silent most of the time, but always willing to talk at the most inopportune moments- like at 3AM when I just needed to cry. I suppose I am just feeling guilty about toying with the thought of cutting him out when he was the one who encouraged me so much in a time that I need it the most. Which brings me to my next point. He was GOOD to me in that period of time, but I allowed it and let the goodness in. What if I am not the person he is going to let in to help him, no matter how much I would like to be? Not that this bothers me at all. I just want him to be that person again. The one I KNEW. I don;'t know this person or how to help him. He builds his wall up faster than I can take the bricks down. I don't want to be forced to break up with someone I consider family and that's what this feels like.

Any advice? I'm all ears.