Pepper's 1st Birthday

CC: Audrey, Laura, John, Allison, Nathan, Portia
Dogs: Pepper, Willow, Maxie

Today is Pepper's 1st Birthday.  I picked a pet friendly restaurant, La Madeleine's Bakery, for his party, and called ahead so management expected us.  It lasted about 45 minutes, took no prep time, and worked out great.  Our closest circle of peeps came after work, about 5 p.m.  Nathan secured us a lovely table on the porch, and John started snapping pix with my iPhone.   I bought a fruit tart, and onlookers were amazed how the dogs sat and stayed with the tart under their noses while we lit the candle, sang Happy Birthday, divvied it up onto 3 separate plates, and waited for my "Okay" command before eating.  I put this slide show together in Windows Live Photo Gallery, just to see how that works.  Not so well, as I can't put the slides in the order I want.  (Hit the "REFRESH" button if it doesn't show up the first time you open this page.)





Pepper at 8.5 weeks old.

Pepper at 6 months, with huge ears,
a long nose, and not much fur.

It's so hard to believe I brought Pepper home last January. Seems more like last month.  Where has the time gone? 


I never intended to keep the fat little fart with the huge ears and big feet, just sell him to raise money for my agility expenses and increase the Papillon population in our area.  Did I really need a 3rd agility dog?  When exactly did I decide to keep him?  Don't know.  He grew on us gradually, but neither John nor I would give him up for anything now.

Pepper at 1 year, growing into his ears and nose.

From day one, he just fit in.  Everyone accepted him -- dogs, cats, family, friends.  Going from 2 paps to 3 was no great effort.  No extra crates or beds.  He posed no problems, other than an extra vet visit and some puppy chow.  Of course, there will be training expenses.

It's going to be a fun trip learning more and more about our new Birthday Boy, tracking his progress, training, and reaching for another gold ring.

Lucky is almost 4, Maxie is 5.4, Willow is 10, and FoohFooh is almost 13. And I'm about to turn 66.  Time is flying by.  Will I still be training dogs, running Pepper, at 76? Can I do right by this amazing little guy?  I shall try.

Upwards and onward!

2nd Anniversary of this blog

Today, July 17th, is the 2nd anniversary of this blog.  I've been trying to figure out how I might commenorate this day, but up to this morning nothing had come to mind.

I have some cause to celebrate besides the anniversary, though.  Last Saturday night I volunteered to help set courses at our club's agility field.  I brought Lucky and Maxie out for a bit of socialization (we haven't trained nor competed since April due to my very sore hip).  But when I arrived at 7:30 p.m., the courses were already set up, so, nothing to do.  I decided to try running both dogs, my adrenilin got to pumping, and I ran each dog twice without the slightest hip pain!!!!!!!!!  Perhaps I've sat out long enough that my hip has healed.  It didn't start aching until the next morning, but only slightly.  If I take it easy and don't overdo, I can possibly manage 4 runs per day.

So today I decided the best celebration I could imagine is to re-enroll in the Monday night advanced class, and sign up for my next trial. I filled out the paperwork for Hattiesburg August 8, 9, 10 (3 weeks away) and I'm going to go mail it in right now. Suddenly I've got my mojo back to put the final finishing touches on the motor home, and get this agility show back on the road.  WHEE!

And, as I've been watching Cake Boss on Netflix and wanting to bake and decorate a masterpiece, just needing a theme and an excuse, I ran to the store and bought a carrot cake mix, buttercream icing and some glazing tubes, and commenced attempting a cake resembling the artwork shown above.

Unfortunately I suck as a cake decorator!  It was fun to do, though, and my tongue and fingers turned blue from licking the mess off the blue tube. Maxie found that perplexing!  We'll all get a slice of cake after I get back from Conformation class with Pepper.

Upwards and onward!

My 65th Birthday

John, Michele, Nathan, Allison, Audrey

Taking a break from the doggies, I invited friends and family to join John and me in MidCity for "White Light Night", touring the shops and art galleries for their annual open house (which happened to fall on my birthday), culminating in cake and ice cream at Audrey's, who lives just 1/2 block off the art district.  Weather was cool, crisp and clear, and breezy. "Standing room only" trolleys were running every 15 minutes up and down the strip, crowds of people were strolling about and excitement was in the air.  Shops were serving wine, cheese, grapes, gumbo, dip & chips, and other assorted snacks.

Nathan, Allison, Audrey, John and I started out together and took the trolley down to Circa 1857, but we played phone tag with the others and never hooked up until we met up at Audrey's at 9 p.m.  She had cooked chili and salad, which turned out great because nobody got enough free food.  Turns out, most of the spread was at the other end of the line in Jefferson Plaza. Circa 1857 had a cash bar and restaurant open for business, but we weren't buying, and the music was so ear-splitting loud and the crowds so thick, we left there quickly.  My nightclubbing days are definitely over.

Nathan brought 2 fancy birthday cakes (one chocolate and one rasberry), and some adorable candles, there were gifts and lovely cards despite my saying "NO GIFTS", and everyone took photos with their iPhones, from every angle, including taking iphotos of people taking iphotos.  The only photos I took are these two, and they're the only ones I have at the moment.  If I can ever round up the others, I plan on creating a Windows Live Photo Slide Show and seeing if I can embed it here for Mom and Dad to see.  I'm always looking for material to experiment with.  Oh, and the cakes were from Fresh Market and especially the Rasberry one was "to die for".

Nathan and Allison gave me a gorgeous Miyabi 600D chef's knife to replace my broken MAC knife (which lasted 25 years), a knife sharpener, and a lovely pot of Paperwhites. Of course, John gave me my new Camera, and I gave myself this new laptop.  Audrey contributed cash towards my new video editing program. Alice sent a most delicious smelling candle. Laura promised Atlas Shrugged, the movie, when it comes out in Blueray, and I promised to give another party for viewing that so it looks like my birthday ain't over yet!  Mom and Dad, Sis and several others called or posted birthday wishes on my Facebook wall, wherever that is (I've never been there).  Lots of cards.  So it was a very pleasant event.

While none of my dog club friends showed up, several sent regrets and Birthday wishes. It's nice to know I have made some friends in the club, but nothing beats the neighbors upon whom I rely for support at any time of day or night, for any kind of problem whatsoever, and who never forget my birthday nor miss my parties. Audrey, Laura, and Schuyler, you're the best!

Some gifts come in strange ways.  In Circa 1875 I saw the perfect large cabinet for hiding away my doggie gear in the den -- unfortunately it was a Louis XIV era piece with a price tag of $4,800!  A gorgeous old cabinet with deep shelves and solid doors, which finally gave me a mental picture of what I want.

One kind man said he couldn't believe I was 65, said "you look 50ish", and that was a fine present, too!

Had to feed the dogs their dinner at 5:45 instead of our usual 8 p.m, so this morning they were up at 5:45 pestering me to roll out of bed.  I finally figured out they were starving.  12 hours is about their limit between meals.

65, still feeling girlish, and looking forward to at least 30 more years of fun and self-improvement no matter how old I look! 

Upwards and onward!

Jonathan's 14th Birthday inspires New Training Goals



Michele, Jonathan, John

Yesterday (Friday) afternoon/evening we set aside time to celebrate my grandson's 14th birthday.  Jonathan lives in Metairie (about 90 miles from me), and is so busy now with school and wrestling, even on weekends, I don't get to see him very often.  He's about the closest thing, next to my dogs, that makes me go mushy.  We always have a grand time together. He always inspires.

It was our customary foursome: John, Jonathan, Audrey and me. And as a family tradition, we always go see the latest Harry Potter movie together whenever it comes out - perfect timing for his birthday this year.





John, Jonathan, Aunt Audrey in front of the Prytania Theater



So I looked around New Orleans and found that only the Prytania Theatre off St. Charles and Jefferson was playing this movie in 3D, at 5 p.m.  Never heard of the place.  We arrived at a tiny, old red brick theater on a residential street, with no parking lot (every patron uses the parking meters right on the street!).  So I was fairly sure it would be a disappointment.

NOT SO! 



Concessions, Jonathan, John, Audrey

While the Prytania is a single screen theater with a small lobby and small concession stand, with not even one single video game, it has an interesting brick architecture, brilliant red wool carpets and a reasonably sized auditorium with reasonably comfortable seats.  The screen and sound were perfect, and a large wooden stage in front of the screen brought back nostalgic memories of my days working for Ogden-Perry Theatre chain (Gordon Theater, Broadmoor Theater) in my youth.

Beautiful chandeliers.  Very friendly staff.  I talked with a local patron who said it's the only theater she ever goes to, walks there from her house and catches every movie that comes in.  Neat.

Staircase to the balcony seats.

A staircase with hand painted posters on the walls leads up to an old-fashioned balcony, a step back into yesteryear for sure.

Harry Potter, The Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Where It All Ends, in 3D was awesome.  It did not disappoint.  It was faithful to the book.  It ended on a high note.  We left feeling victorious.  Just the kind of movie I like.

A few more theater pix



Main Entrance to Prytania Theater
(L-R) John, Jonathan, Michele

 

"A Streetcar Named Desire" sidewalk art, in front of Prytania Theater, w. Jonathan



Michele and Jonathan

Afterwards, Jonathan chose sushi for his birthday dinner, and we found The Basil Leaf on S. Carrolton, with the trolley cars going by in the rain.  The food was not that special, but it gave us a cozy place to give him his birthday cards, chat and catch up on all the latest gossip and news before rushing him home to pack.

His Dad picks him up at 10:30 this morning for a 6 day cruize to Cozumel.  Lucky them! Then school starts, and he'll be too busy again to see much of me.  No more time to attend agility trials with me, either, which he says "isn't his thing anyway".  This makes my heart hurt, for I had so hoped to share my favorite passion with my favorite person.  At least he is very devoted to his wrestling (which isn't my thing either come to think of it, but I would go watch him), so he is in the gym almost every day and already 3rd in State in his weight category.  Hopefully, wrestling will teach him to strive for excellence and acquaint him with the thrill of analysis and going all out.  It pleases me to think so. His team got their asses stomped this weekend competing with other teams from all over the US.  It gave him and his coaches some new training goals.


It got me focused on my new training goals - I promised to "turn over a new leaf" beginning today.  I have 2 weeks 'til the Hattiesburg trial.  2 weeks to learn to run again (after 8 weeks of limping with a very sore calf and other people running my dogs at the last trial I attended in Monroe).  2 weeks to remind my dogs how to run a course and follow my guidance.  My first run this past Wednesday night teaching class, wasn't so good.  Neither of my dogs were focused, missed ques, knocked bars, ran off sniffing.  And I realized I've built up a heap of fear around re-injuring my leg.  I have to let go of that fear, build up my confidence.  So I picked up all the sticks in my agility yard this morning, committed to run my dogs every day for at least a few turns, and walk on my treadmill 30 minutes a day, if only in 10 minute increments.  The heat index of over 105 degrees daily and high humidity of 30-70%, makes going outside (even at 6:30 a.m.) an unpleasant task.  10 minutes out there and I'm feeling clammy and trickling sweat and my dogs are panting.  But we've got to work through this if we want those green and blue ribbons, and those titles by the end of the year.

Maxie, 2010, NA and NAJ Titles

I've got to think RIBBONS.  Boxes and boxes of RIBBONS. Some dogs like food.  Some like tugging and chasing toys.  Some trainers like Q's, improved time, or just "running with their dogs".  Me, I'm wild about RIBBONS, especially the blue ones (1st place) and the purple ones (2Q's in a day)!  That's my #10 reinforcements, and I never have this picture of Maxie's early successes (6 runs, 6 Q's, 6 1st places) and my elation over them very far out of my mind.  We're a much better team now, but the challenges have gotten harder, competition stiffer, the ribbons more elusive and with all this summer heat and rain plus my calf injury, the training sessions have been very infrequent. BAH!

Upwards and onward!

Maxie's 4th Birthday

Continuing from yesterday's post on the 1st Anniversary of this Blog and Maxie's 4th Birthday, I woke up yesterday eager to make a pile of heart healthy Oatmeal Cookies in papillon shapes!  After trying my hand at shaping and baking a whole dog, I realized the baking process spreads the cookies out considerably, so I settled for 1 cookie shaped somewhat like a papillon head, sitting atop a pile of regular cookies.

Willow (L), Maxie (R)

I dressed Max and Willow up for a little photo shoot.  They were not terribly thrilled and the smell of the cookies was driving them crazy, but they were patient with me and I got a couple of decent shots.  Then I stuck 4 candles in the cookie pile.

Maxie (L), Willow (R)

John, myself, our house guest Wy Ming, and all 4 dogs gathered around the kitchen table, we sang Happy Birthday, and of course I blew out the candles for Max, wishing for many, many more.

John and Maxie, Wy Ming and Willow



Lucky (left), Fooh Fooh (right)

Then commenced an eating frenzy with 4 dogs at my feet, waiting for their morsels.  I am SURE they knew it was a party the way they pranced around. 

Particularly adorable was when Max and Willow did the tango. 

The whole party took all of 15 minutes.

Maxie and Willow TANGO!

For everyone else the party was short and sweet, for me it lingered on as I reviewed and processed a lot of really cute photos which are now posted to my Family Web Albums, here.

It's been fun over the years fashioning Maxie's little cakes from whatever was around the house at the time. I've never done a birthday cake for any of my other dogs. Don't know why. Maybe it's because we designated Valentine's Day as Fooh's birthday and we are already including him in that celebration. Or maybe Maxie's cute little face just lends itself to being sculpted. How would I make a Lucky cake? A Willow cake?  They'd rather have a frozen chicken neck anyway!

Sorting birthday photos today, I took a little trip down memory lane regarding Maxie's earlier cakes.


His 1st was a store bought carrot cake in a little tin.  I think it cost $1.00  I decorated it with plastic balloons with a wallet photo of him on top.  John, Audrey and I went with Maxie, Willow and Fooh to Highland Road Observatory, the dogs ate the cake, then we all went hiking in the woods, then fig picking. 

Maxie's 2nd birthday -- no cake, no party.  My brother Fred had died and my niece got married at my house during that period, and I simply lost track of the date.  Shame on me!

Maxie's 3rd birthday cake I used an upside down shortcake, with torn ham for the ears, carrots sticks for the ear feathers, whipped cream for his blaze, and raisins for eyes and nose.  Just whatever I could find around the house.  Again, a little party at my house with John and Audrey, nothing much, some photos to mark the event and let Maxie gobble up the whole cake, carrots and all (excepting the raisins)!

I love it that Maxie and the blog have the same birthday. I don't remember planning it that way, but how fitting.  And you'd be surprised how often he sits at the keyboard with me as I write about our adventures.   As I mumble to myself, he probably thinks I'm talking to him.

Last night John also brought me a little bouquet of flowers and a FoohMax Agility Blog Happy 1st Birthday card.  That was sweet!  It has sat by my computer all day and helped make me feel very happy despite the week of rain we're having and my dental appointment tomorrow.

Upwards and onward!

1st Anniversary of my Blog

Today is the 1st Anniversary of this blog.  WOW!  A whole year, 241 posts, 36 drafts not yet published, and all of them, one way or another, about my dogs and me. 

At first I was just talking to myself, recording thoughts and challenges, frustrations and fears about dog training, trialing, and my involvement with other dog people.  It was a place to store a few photos along with extended captions.  Truth is, I've always loved writing and have started two other blogs, (my dreams, my poetry) but never had a subject that held my interest until it was "My Dogs".  (Well, I did publish a serial website a few years back on wild food foraging that took a few years to write.  That one is still up, but after Hurricanes Katrina, then Rita, then Gustav hit us directly, I quit foraging for edible weeds.)

Eventually, I sent out a few blog links to "persons of interest" -- husband, sister-in-law, son, mom.  Then a few cousins or friends if I was writing about them in particular.  A few dog club mates. Then, this year, my small handful of agility students. My site meter began to report 30-45 visits a week.  That was pleasing.

Then several weeks ago, I added the web address to some comments I made on a few other agility blogs, because they provided a space to add it.  Readership increased, and this week I had 221 visitors. Besides the US, the map shows some readers in Alaska, Canada, Australia, Russia, UK, France, Sweden, and more. Who can they be? It would be incredibly rewarding to know.

So if you land on this page, whoever you are, please help me celebrate my blog's birthday by leaving me a short comment.  Consider it a candle on my "blog cake".  I'd like to know where you live, how you found me, what you think of my blog so far, etc.


Every morning this past year I've woken up pondering what I might write about today. This morning I woke up thinking maybe I've written about all there is to write.  I will soon have all the nearby Trial Site Summaries completed, my 2011 titling goals met for Maxie and Lucky Lucy, my basic handling maneuvers and exercises recorded. I've conveyed most of my struggles getting to the point of being comfortable in the ring, hopefully encouraging other shy, un-atheletic, uncertain competitors like myself to persevere. What else is there to say?  Am I about to lose my mojo?

"Adoring Eyes"
Maxie's 1st birthday cake with his wallet photo on top.
July 17, 2008

At least I can share how I am celebrating this day.  Turns out, today we celebrate Maxie's birthday, too, so this morning I baked him some heart healthy oatmeal cookies in Papillon shapes, and tonight when John gets home we will sing Happy Birthday to him, toast the blog, and take some pictures which I will post tomorrow.  That will be celebration enough.

See, what makes my world go around is looking into Maxie's adoring eyes several times each day. I melt into his eyes (plus 3 other pairs)!  I feel such love coming from him, he totally accepts our mutual co-dependancy!  We need, and want to need, and don't give a crap what others say about people not supposing to need, each other.  What fun we have!  And my only birthday wish is:

May all this fun continue!

Upwards and onward!

P.S.

John also brought me a little bouquet of flowers and a FoohMax Agility Blog Happy 1st Birthday card.  That was sweet!  I placed it by my computer, where it will keep me company tomorrow as I process photos.

My 64th Birthday

My "love slave", harvesting bamboo for me,
with Lucky at his side.

This is an account of my 64th birthday.  After waking up early and musing about my special day (2 posts back), here's what actually happened.

Talked to my Mom on the phone, of course, and received a few calls, texts or emails from friends (Vincent, Sheryl, Laura).  This on top of several Facebook well-wishers from my dog club.

Per my birthday request, John and I headed out to the woods adjacent to our property around 10 a.m., boots, gloves, machetes and lopers in hand, to harvest bamboo for my tee pee.  It was clear skies, still, and cool enough for long sleeves.  Not a single insect to bother us.  Energizing! Lucky came along, her very first off-leash walk-about in an unfenced area.  John was a bit trepidatious but I was confident she would stay with us, and she did.  Had to call her back into view several times, but she wasn't far away, just sniffing thru the tangled undergrowth. (Nathan, nobody is keeping the paths clear the way you used to do as a boy.) It was so thick with fallen trees, vines, and debris, we had to cut a winding path to the bamboo patch, lost it, and had to cut another path back home.  We were in the woods a good 2 hours.


Michele and Lucky, trimming bamboo

Finding straight poles was a challenge.  Most of the ones in this patch arch out, but we finally found a few 30' long pieces with 10' of straight somewhere in their length.  I set about shaving off the side chutes, with Lucky at my back.  My birthday is starting out GREAT!

We marked the path home by dropping lengths of bamboo all along the path.  When Jonathan gets here next Tuesday, John hopes to take him in there to clear the path, as Nathan did 25 years the ago. We used to harvest blackberries, I used to take my pre-schoolers out on short hikes, and I remember Garrett and I especially delighting in harvesting spiral vines to decorate our classroom with.  I don't know why the neighborhood boys don't go there now.  They are missing out.

Maxie on the tee pee

We came in, sat on the back patio to rest awhile and I took some photos for the blog of John and dogs enjoying our new lawn.  Inside, I finished binding the edges of the tee pee fabric with duck tape so it wouldn't ravel.  That took a few hours of bending over, and needing to rest now and then, I sat at my computer and wrote up my story on Laying Sod).  When I was finished with the binding, I spread the fabric out on the ground, set the poles in place, then John trimmed them to 9.5' with our skill saw.  

John checks it out for headroom. 
Oops, 6'4" Nathan might not fit.

We set it up, and here it is, in the raw.  So far, so good.  I still need to figure out how to fasten the door closed, rig up a bowl over the top to keep the rain from running down the poles, and paint some decorations on it.  But this is enough for today. Gotta go inside and rest up for dinner tonight.  My full tee pee story is scattered on some other pages. I'll pull them all together eventually, maybe.


Then John in his recliner, me on the red couch, we kicked back for a few hours and watched the last 3 episodes of Lie To Me, Season 2, streamed from Netflix.  Somewhat rested up, I changed my shoes, fixed my hair, threw on some makeup and jewelry, then John and I took off for Ichiban's Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar for 8 p.m.  "Dress is casual", Nathan had said, so I didn't even change my clothes from the hike in the woods.  I was so tired, I was incapable of putting on any kind of airs.  I was glad I didn't have to cook or do dishes, but not sure I could stay awake thru the dinner, much less be good company.

L to R: Audrey, Allison, Nathan, Me, and John
Notice all the bar chairs turned upside down. 
We were the last to leave.

At Ichiban, we met up with my son, his wife, and my sister-in-law for a scrumptious birthday meal, Nathan's treat.  These are my main "peeps", plus my grandson who couldn't come. Nathan did all the ordering. We drank chilled sake, had fried sushi, yes, fried sushi, and another kind wrapped in cucumber strips.  OMG, those were over-the-top delicious. We fought over those.  I tasted eel sauce for the first time.  The main platter had about 6 other kinds of sushi, which were also good but comparable to sushi you find other places. We ate, talked and laughed so long, we shut the place down.  I didn't realize until the last moment, as they were throwing us out, that I hadn't taken any pictures.  The waiter was kind enough to snap this one near the exit, in the bar, with all the chairs upturned so they could mop the floors.  Alas, I didn't get one of our food-laden table.  It was a sumptuous display!

It was a "no gifts" party except for cards, because all my peeps know I don't want any more material things. But Audrey brought me a gift anyway.  It was wrapped but you could tell it was a book.  I rudely, adamently pronounced that there was only one book I wanted, and if this was by some mysterious means that book, (which it couldn't possibly be), I would lie down on the floor in shock.  Sure enough, it was Barbra Striesand's new book, My Passion For Design.  So I laid on the floor as promised, in shock . . . . . which shocked a few waiters and patrons.  That's the thing about Audrey.  She knows me so well.  Unbeknownst to me, she had also seen Oprah's interview with Barbra and Robert Redford a few nights back, and she knew I would want this book.

So that capped off the perfect birthday day.  Good food, good people, a bit of magic, shock and awe! But my friends say "Fry's birthday isn't over til she says it is."  So this morning I woke up and ate the leftovers, including the last two fried sushis, and thought about declaring that to be the official end to my very special day.  And so, perhaps it is . . . . . . . . . . . then again perhaps not.  I still have friends coming in (tonight), we're hosting an Indian dinner party tomorrow night for many old friends I haven't seen in months, a book to read, a blog to write, work to do, pictures to take, projects to finish, dogs to train, etc.  Every day I feel a bit renewed, reborn, and spoiled by my friends, family and all my many blessings.  Words being so powerful, visualization so life-shaping, I don't think I should ever let my birth day be over.   :-)

Upwards and onward,

Birthday Musings

Today is my 64th birthday.  Went to bed around 3 a.m. last night, dogs woke my up at 7 a.m. for pottie time, and now I can't go back to sleep.  I feel clear-headed, too. Perhaps my "early morning" training is working.  Beautiful day. Sunny, clear, 58 degrees.  Got the coffee pot going.  Dogs at my feet.  Husband resting peacefully.  Son taking me to dinner tonight. All is well in my world.

Woke up to 4 emails that said "X posted on your Facebook wall". That was a first!  They were all Happy Birthday messages from fellow dog club members.  Sweet!  I have a Facebook account but never use it.

So here in the hush of morning, I muse on what I want for my Birthday.  In truth, just another year of contented days like yesterday and the day before, and the day before that.  Perfect days.  No bombs falling.  Gestapo not knocking.  Moveover, I never thought I'd have a devoted husband, a trusting relationship, paid off mortgage, no debts, sufficient income to meet our needs, solid house in good shape, settled child, a delightful grandchild, a few good friends, 4 amazing dogs, 5 cats who hunt and keep the snakes away, a good digestive system, and lots of magic in my life!  I guess I could use lasic surgery, a boob reduction, bigger hair, smaller waist, fewer wrinkles, better teeth, less clutter, freedom from my bad habits, better health, a house maid and yard man, healthier parents, closer family, more money, a few less aches and pains.  But on the whole, I think I've got it made.

I intend for John to take me out in the woods today to cut some bamboo poles for my ongoing tee pee project , (which my son has aptly dubbed my "PeePee TeePee").  That will be John's "labor of love" birthday present to me, something no one but he can give (and gives just about every day).  Then we'll get out in the yard and have some fun engineering my tee pee.  That's my idea of "having a blast"!  It's incredibly satisfying to have a "love slave" on my special day.

Shush!  I hear stirrings in the hall.  My "love slave" has awoken. Time for musing is over.  Now I have to go and see what my birthday will really pan out like.  That will be my next post, probably tomorrow!  Meanwhile, this poem keeps running thru my head.  It's called WARNING! WHEN I GROW OLD I SHALL WEAR PURPLE, and you can read it here. It's decadent, delicious, and one of my all-time favorites!