EMMY AND ME IN THE HAT...AND EM LOOKS LIKE WENDY

Hewo. My niece Tiff is going to show Mom my blog today so I wanted to update it with some pics we took recently of Em and I in my fun wool hat. Emmy looks beautiful and incredibly like my mother. Those genes just jumped right over my generation and landed full on upon hers. Amazing...So enjoy Mom...I love you so much!!!

THINSPO FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!

For those who have been mentally healthy for as long as they can remember (poor souls), "thinspo" is eating-disorder-speak for thinsperation or thin inspiration. So, now you know.
I received my Netflix DVD of America's Next Top Model Cycle One, Disc One...Discs two and three are forthcoming because I'm now up to a 3-at-a-time DVD habit..*sniff*...*tremor*...so my thinspo will be to watch ridiculously skinny people catfight their way to a life of never-ending hunger, empty feelings and souless coworkers....YAY...here's Tyra-their Queen and Master whom they serve.

And then I bought this...

This is a bike built for a mature woman...I know this because the paper work said so and if it's in print, it MUST be true. It has 7 speeds (or gears, I don't know what they are, I have to learn how to shift something other than a paradigm) a cushy seat, and the handle bars are higher and closer to the seat for back and neck comfort. Frankly, I thought they were a little too close and thought perhaps I had found a bike better suited for a middle-aged thalidamide baby until Rocky, who was stocking the fishing poles (as I was biking by in WalMart) told me how to adjust the seat. I must have appeared to have strayed too far from the circus. Let me set the image for you here. Rocky has red hair that's "styled" in a mullet and the back of his hair was in a braid. He wore a baseball cap. He was the approximate volume of my left thigh. Rocky is very very kind and helpful. He spoke slowly to me with raised eyebrows, as one would to an educably retarded cousin. I rode the bike out of the store to my car.

So, I will get fit if it kills me, or humiliates me, whichever comes first.

MAE SNEAKED THE CAMERA!!!!

I was at Em's today playing and visiting. Emmy and I have the exact same cameras so as I was packing up to leave, I turned on the camera to make sure it was mine...and it was then thatI discovered that little Miss Mae was a double-secret photographer...I present the evidence (taken in her bedroom and in the loft):

I actually really like this pic. These are bags full of children's clothing. What I enjoy about the photo is the pattern of the color red against the white bags...I like the "pop" of the red color and the random streakiness of the shape. Good eye Mae!

Moo putting laundry away...sneaky Mae.

Pretty Mommy stopping by to say "Hi"!

Clarkie BUSTED!!!!!

Mae's window seat in her bedroom...again, nice eye I thought.

Mae has a doll (her "sister") named Bella and this is her furniture. Not pictured is the elaborate pink kitchen.

Moo's revenge. This is one exhausted little paparazzi...she fell asleep waiting for her Mom and I...look at her little feet, all sandled up and on top of her purse...cutest photog ever...

PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA WINDMILL FARM

As I drive north out of Palm Springs towards the I-10, I am always amazed at the windmills...there are acres and acres of these things and they are down here on the valley floor, as well as up on the sides of the mountains. They are amazing to behold, especially on a clear day, which I did NOT have today. But, here they are as I saw them today. me out.

ROAD TRIP TO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK...THX TO VETERANS

Today we went to Joshua Tree, Me, Peter and the dogs, Snoopy and Buddha.
We took Route 62...a long and steep drive up to the altitudes where the Joshua Trees grow. We took a dirt road, a new "back way" to the park, and snapped photos of the some of the beautiful blossoms present in the desert right now. We also saw alpacas, a pheasant, a blackbird (of course, always) a "chick-monk" (what the kids always called them), and various other lifeforms. Buddha kept trying to get into the front seat and when he finally did, we discovered he wanted to be under Peter's legs while Peter was driving...the pics were so cute, I couldn't resist. Those two are inseparable. Finally got to the park. Found a great place to explore, the dogs loved it. We climbed the rocks, the dogs wanted to but couldn't make it up the side of the rock due to the lack of opposable thumbs and other issues. We have the series of Peter climbing the rocks...he's really good. He knows how to leverage his body, his arms and legs and everything to just jump and sway and BAM! He's made it. So then, because I enjoyed watching him get up there so much, naturally, I enjoyed watching him get down, but not before he struck his famous pseudo-martial arts post. It has no meaning whatsoever but we must have dozens of pics of him doing this exact same pose. It's weird, but funny. And if you look closely, it's appears that I'm married to Dwight Shrute from The Office...yea. The last pic is of me wearing my funny knit hat that irritated my sister at the Eddie Bauer Warehouse...so while we shopped I followed her around while wearing it. But, here it protects my ears from the wind. And so...ta dah!!!!! Such was the day at Joshua Tree. Now, the photos are reversed in that, the last are first and the ones at the bottom are the beginning of the trip so scan down to the bottom photos first then up...sorry...still learning... me out.












Obviously, this poor Joshua Tree has lost its contact and can't seem to locate it...that's irritating.








Buddha sneaking up front to be where the action is.

Buddha's hiding spot under Peter's legs while he drove. Probably not safe but oh so adorable.

We don't know what this old tower was...jail?...look out post?...light house in the middle of the desert?...who knows?

Peter behind bars...cool pic huh?

"The Long and Dirty Road"...

This is where they grow pretty Eddie Bauer sweaters...there's one resting over there.

These pheasant shrieked to us, made us look at it, shrieked again and waited for us to back up and take its picture....prideful?...maybe, but definitely a pleasant pheasant.

Peter thinks this plant looks like it came from Mars...I think it looks like it came from Planet Geek.

These little pink blossoms form what appear to be little paper laterns...cute!

The long road (Route 62) up to the high desert.

Old Man Snoopy is actually smiling while waiting in the car.

Buddha doesn't quite seem to know yet what's going on.

Guess who cut her own hair?

I did...I'm interested in seeing where my authentic white hair is and where my authentic silver is so I cut it off in the bathroom last night...,we shall soon see. When the real stuff starts to grow in, I'll have it cut back and the games will begin. It would be interesting to see how long it would be and what colors it would have by the time I was done with the degree and everything. So, that's that. me out

P.S. For those who care, when Peter came home, my hair was "normal". After my shower, it was short. He didn't notice for a couple of hours and then he said, "Did you cut your hair or something?"....yea...

GUESS WHO GOT A NEW CAMERA FOR MOTHER'S DAY???

I DID...