Birthday Pictures

Lily's 5th birthday has come and gone and I finally have gotten around to posting her birthday photos. This year we gave her peanut butter Frosty Paws, the Purina ice cream for dogs. This was the first time Trudy had ever had it and they both loved it! Auntie also spoiled her with treats in the shape of bacon and eggs. What a spoiled puppy!

Stop Your Sniveling

One of the best things about being an adult is the ability to have a rational and intelligent conversation with ones parent and actually feeling like they respect your opinion, even if they don't agree.

I had an opportunity to talk to my dad on the phone the other day and as is usual with our conversations, it veered in a political direction. We were talking about the economy, the cash-for-clunkers program, unemployment, and healthcare. During the course of the discussion dad inquired about college and I told him about the problems I am having finding funding to go to school. With the U of A increase in tuition, the hike in program fees, the hike in parking permits, and the ungodly amount they want for books, I wasn't (and am still not) certain how to pay for all of it. I started to whine and complain about how everybody else is getting a hand out but our president and congress can't figure out a way to increase available money for education. (I would like to add here that I am not looking for free money, but any money that I can repay!)

At that very moment the following things went through my mind:

1. You should be disgusted with yourself for crying like a baby when your dad is on the brink of losing his job.

2. The government doesn't owe you anything. Their only purpose in your life is to provide and ensure safety services (like fire/police/disaster relief) and protection by the military. The fact that they have pushed themselves into every other facet of your life doesn't mean they owe you those things.

I realized at that moment that I was no better than those individuals who collect welfare and other public services, not because they have to, but because they feel like it is owed to them. I have decided that I will get through school, I will persevere, I will graduate, and I will be happy despite the obstacles that are put in my way and with as little government assistance as possible. I will prosper not because "I got what was owed to me" but because I earned it.

Happy Birthday Lily

Five years ago on August 8th, little Lily was born. To commemorate this day I found as many of her baby pictures as I could. We lost a lot of the them in one of two great hard drive crashes.

For those who do not know the story of how Lily came to live with us, I shall tell you now.

When hubby and I were still dating we would spend the weekends going to pet stores and playing with the puppies. Specifically, we liked going to the pet stores that actually let us hold them. One Saturday we went to "The Puppy Place" and saw Lily and her siblings. Hubby was already a lover of miniature schnauzers but I had my reservations since I had always been raised with large dogs. We held her, loved her, played with her, and even named her before we left the store, but decided we couldn't have her...she was just too expensive.
So, we went home and I thought about her, and thought about her, and couldn't get her off my mind. I even went back to the pet store a couple days later to visit her only to find out that someone else had put her on a 24 hour hold (she was the only remaining puppy left). I went home, defeated and saddened, but glad that she was going to be going home with someone. The next day I called to find out if she had been purchased and they said no, stating that the family had changed their mind. I immediately called hubby from work and told him that she was available. He was at school at the time and explained to me all the reasons why we couldn't have her. I was so upset, I really loved that little puppy! After work I called hubby to ask him if he was serious that we couldn't have her and asked him if he had gone to pick her up or if I could go pick her up? He said no, consoled me and invited me over to his apartment for dinner. I went home dropped off my work stuff, changed clothes, and walked over to his apartment. When I opened the door, there was Lily, playing on the floor with all her new toys! Apparently as soon as hubby heard she was available, he ditched school, picked her up from the pet store and went to Petsmart to get her all the necessities. What a wonderful surprise, I cried so hard!!! Although she was a terrible puppy, she has turned into a loving, wonderful dog...we are so lucky!

Kingman Murder

Kingman still believes it is a small town, desperately trying to retain that close knit, everybody-knows-everybody mentality, all the while the population has exploded and crime is on the rise. Murder, in particular, is so rare there that it cripples the community when it does occur. Sadly, two people hubby knew from high school died on Monday. Our deepest sympathies go out to the Mack family who lost their daughter.

KINGMAN - The woman killed by her husband in a murder-suicide Sunday was shot just after handing her baby to a police officer.

Holly Jean Anderson, 26, had been talking through a crack in the door to officers responding to a call about a domestic disturbance in the 3100 block of Tanner Street around 5:40 p.m. Sunday. Anderson and her 20-month-old baby girl, Bailey, had been staying with a friend at the residence.

Anderson made eye movements while talking to the officers that suggested she was trying to tell them that her husband, Brad, was in the room with her, said Sgt. Bob Fisk.
One of the officers silently mouthed, "Does he have a gun?" to which Anderson responded, "Yes, I will bring the baby out," Fisk said.

She had just passed her baby to Sgt. Mark Chastain when she was shot in the head with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic.

A second officer at the door, Timothy Sparr, was shot in the left arm. Police believe the bullet that killed Anderson is the same one that struck Sparr.

Sparr will have surgery at a later date to remove the bullet from his arm, but his arm was not broken.

Brad Anderson, 28, then retreated inside the home where he killed himself.

Responding officers thought they had a hostage situation and evacuated neighbors as a precaution. Police sent in a robot with a camera and speaker on it to communicate with the suspect before learning that he had committed suicide. Fisk said it was likely Anderson shot himself just moments after shooting his wife.

Holly Anderson was a probation officer with the Mohave County Probation Department. She joined the department in Feb. 2007 and had been promoted within the last month.

"She was an outstanding worker, dedicated to her job and full of enthusiasm," said Friend Walker, chief probation officer.

Holly Anderson filed for an order of protection against her husband in April, the same week she filed for divorce. In court documents, she indicated that she believed Brad Anderson kept a loaded handgun in his vehicle at all times and had previously threatened to harm her and himself.

Holly withdrew the order of protection April 30, although it is unclear why.

http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=32813

This is For My Dad

What can I say, I am my father's daughter. When I heard that Tiger Woods farted at the 2009 Buick Open, I had to find the video.



I recommend turning up the volume rather loud so you can hear his caddy laughing! Oh, how I laughed!!

New Glasses

It has been a number of years since I have gotten new glasses, I didn't much see the point. My prescription hasn't changed enough to warrant new glasses and they can be so expensive with all the hidden fees and extra add-ons. Alas, however, I sat on my most current and favorite pair of eyewear and was forced to purchase new ones. Instead of going to my most favorite cheap out-of-pocket-store, hubby convinced me to allow the insurance company to pay for something for a change. So, we went to the "fancy store", I picked out a pair of highly over-priced but name brand eyeglasses, almost all of which insurance covered and they were ready in an hour.

The "Kristina" made by Candies

Free Hand Outs

I have to admit that I am not one of those people who easily buys into people standing on the corner with signs begging for money or their stories of woe about running on hard times. This persepctive changes, of course, if children and/or animals are involved as they are innocent but for the most part my belief is that beggers are able-bodied individuals who choose not to work because begging is easier. I recognize our country is in a bit of a crisis right now, so some leway should be given, but it seems there are some very dishonest people in Tucson who will gladly take advantage of kind-hearted, hardworking people.

I will give four examples:

1. A woman on the corner of Tanque Verde and Grant was claiming she was destitute and hungry while carrying a purse worth more than my Coach bag. I wonder how she got that? Perhaps because she is not destitute nor poor?

2. Wednesday of this past week my sister and I got out of the car at Bookmans when we were immediately accosted by a woman, who was smoking a cigarette, claiming that her wallet had just been stolen and she needed $2 for the bus. My sister, the kind-hearted and sometimes naive soul, immediately opened her wallet and gave the woman what she was asking for. I will admit that she walked towards the bus stop, although I cannot confirm she actually boarded the vehicle.

3. Immediately after the woman had accosted us, a man came up to us asking for cigarettes or money. In this case I am guessing he saw my sister's generosity and decided to cash in. Neither of us had any remaining money, so he walked away empty handed. I did, however, recommend he ask the woman who my sister just gave money to for cigarettes as she is too poor to afford the bus but can afford a pack of cigarettes.

4. Today hubby and I went to Taco Bell where we were cornered in the parking lot by a man with Down Syndrome who said he, too, needed money for the bus. Hubby immediately gave him a $1, which was all he had, and we went inside. A few moments later the man came inside and ordered food with the money rather than take the bus.

I suppose the root of my frustration with all of the above examples is the lie. Don't lie to me and tell me you need the money for the bus when really you are hungry! Why lie? Just say you're hungry! Don't lie and say you lost your wallet when really all you need is some drugs! Don't lie and say you need money for cigarettes when you really are going to buy booze! Just be honest!

I would much rather give money to someone who tells me the truth.

4th Wedding Anniversary

This day four years ago I married my best friend, my defender, my knight in shining armor, the man who would swim through shark infested waters just for me....my husband!

--Husband,

You are the John Crichton to my Aeryn Sun,
You are the Jack O'Neill to my Samantha Carter,
You are the Fox Mulder to my Dana Scully,
You are the John Sheridan to my Delenn,
You are the Jean-Luc Picard to my Beverly Crusher,
You are the Han Solo to my Leia Organa,
You are the Seeley Booth to my Temperance Brennan,
You are the Denny Crane to my Alan Shore (wait, what?)

The Love We Share is Epic!

Happy Anniversary My Love,

--Wife

Monsoon Season

One of the disadvantages of monsoon season now that we have Trudy is that she is petrified of thunder and lightening. Lily and Piper don't care, but Trudy shakes uncontrollably, is unable to sleep, pants incessantly and is generally inconsolable. The later half of today has been dark and windy with some thunder and lightening forcing Trudy to find new and inventive places to hide. I have a sincere feeling that when she opts to vacate this location many of my computer wires will be be going with her.

Mount Lemmon

Teresa and Tim invited Matthew and I to go to Mount Lemmon with them over the weekend. We planned a day trip, packed sandwiches, chips and soda pop, and headed up the mountain early on Sunday morning. The temperature was amazing...between 73-83 degrees the whole time we were there. We had a picnic, hiked around, and visited some of the shops that have been rebuilt since the fire. We had such a wonderful time, getting out of Tucson was good for the soul, and as is always the case with this group, there was a lot of laughter!!







Teresa says that watching her hike is like watching a polar bear paint a picture, it is awkward and unnatural.


The Boys


We had a wild little friend join us for lunch. He enjoys Sunchips and Baked Lays.


One of the rebuilt restaurants sells giant cookies. It took me three days to finish this.

My Other Favorite Pets

Teresa and Tim inherited a computer from the in-laws and needed help getting it set up and networked. Matt and I went over to their house to assist. Well, Matt went over to assist, I got my hair dyed (yippee!!). While we were there I decided to be Auntie Papparazzi and these are the best of my snapshots.

Shmoopie was the first pet, she was adopted by Tim when she wondered up to his house when she was just a baby.

Shadow was adopted from the Humane Society and is going to be five years old in August.


Pastrami (on Rye) is the newest addition. He was found at Tim's work hiding under a wooden palate when he was virtually brand new. He could fit in the palm of your hand, now look at him!

Bye Bye Summer School...

I just arrived home from taking the final (which was brutal) in my summer school class. This is the first time I have taken summer school at UA and I have to admit that I like the pace a lot more than a 16 week class. The subject matter was Human Evolution and I can see how this class could have been very boring and impossibly difficult if given more time. The lecture time was really long (1 hour and 45 min) everyday, the tests were literally back to back every week, and there was a lot of homework "busy" work, but I am done in 5 weeks. So, goodbye summer school, hello summer vacation!!

Happy 4th of July

Wishing all of you a very happy 4th of July!

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." ~Erma Bombeck