Snooty Daughter Turns 26.... And Gets Accepted To Oxford University For Their Summer Program

Twenty six years ago today I gave birth to a sweet little cherub of a baby girl, who weighed in at 10 lbs. 2 ounces and life hasn't been the same ever since. I was convinced it was going to be another boy because I was carrying the baby lower than I carried my son. My enormous stomach actually sat down before my derriere did. Yes, at 5'4", I was all baby. Well, except for that 65 lbs. I'd gained.

Now, I cannot imagine how dull my life would have been without this precious young woman in it. She has always had such a great sense of humor as well as a bright and sunny disposition, and has taught me more about myself and life than you'll ever know.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know that SD is now in her first year of law school at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, in Dallas, Texas. We're so proud of her that we could almost do cartwheels. However, I think we I know better than to try such folly again.

Now, SD has been accepted in the Oxford University/SMU summer program in London, England and I'm so excited for her I could absolutely squeal. This is a very prestigious honor and one that she will take very seriously. It will also enable her to rack up more credits in a shorter amount of time, while she enjoys a summer abroad. She's been to London before and even has some friends from there that she stays in touch with, so she's good to go. Congratulations SD!



But, most of all, I thank God every day of the world for giving us such a wonderful, fearless, smart, funny, devoted daughter. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Dear! Today I Am The Ripe Old Age Of 58 And Proud Of It!

I used to really kind of hate birthdays because the only people who ever remember it are my family, who are basically required to remember it, right? However, these days I feel that I should celebrate every birthday with gusto because you never know when God will pull the plug on you.

I am 58 years old today and as depressing as that could be, I suppose I'm just thankful that I'm still here for the time being. 

I looked at my horoscope and the first one gave me this:

Making peace with the past and coming to terms with karmic debts are some of the issues that confront you now. Failure to face these things can cause setbacks and put obstacles in your path. Learn to look beyond the personal or you will get in over your head. Unusual ideas and novel ways of expressing them play bigger than usual part in your life now. A neighbor could play a part in this or perhaps a brother or sister. You have a lot of energy for improving your surroundings or life situations. You are very motivated to improve. There could be some hard feelings, especially from young people if you become too aggressive; maintain low tones. You have a strong drive to bring people together and simplify problems.

Karmic debts? I believe I'm on the other end of this prediction. My neighbors never even look at me, much less speak. I'm not sure I've had an aggressive day in my life since my days of skiing. So, having been not all that thrilled with it, I did a further search in hopes of finding one that would make me feel good. This is what I found:

As the day progresses, you should think about shifting your mood from an intense emotional position to more of a lighthearted sociable one, Liz. Connect with others on matters of the mind, especially later on in the day, when people are likely to be more open to discussion. Adopt a friendly, easygoing manner that encourages others instead of intimidating them. Have fun and try not to take things too seriously.

Knowing that I couldn't possibly be more easygoing or sociable than I already am, I sought yet another to heal the way I feel. I am SO NOT intimidating in ANY WAY, nor am I often serious about much of anything unless I go off on a rant. It only got worse as I went along. Well, Happy Birthday To Me! So, screw the whole horoscope thing. They have no idea who I really am. Wouldn't you think that the people who *do* horoscopes would have mercy on your mortal soul and give you a break on your birthday? Apparently, they don't give a flip if you feel good on your birthday, or not.

In other news, when I first watched "Angels & Demons" starring Tom Hanks I didn't quite *get it*. After having been to Rome I now totally understand and recognize all the places they go in the movie! That was a perk of the trip that I didn't expect!

Wishing everyone a fabulously fun weekend!

Can You Imagine The Possibilities For Injury And Pain? Maybe Even Nirvana?

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows how obsessed I've been with trying to get close up camera shots of hummingbirds. Of course I could get one elsewhere, but I want to achieve a perfect picture on my own, wasting spending hours on end in that pursuit. I want pictures of my hummingbirds, right?


Mr. Snoots said he came dangerously close to buying me this particularly interesting item for my birthday, assuring me it didn't need an electrical outlet. (He's not allowed to buy me anything for any occasion that requires an outlet.) I only wish I were joking, but the ugly truth is that he seriously debated getting this for me. Are you ready? Are you sure? Uh-Huh. Okay, hold on to your panties, thongs and *what-evers*.



I present to you  the Wearable Eye To Eye Hummingbird Feeder:










Instead, he bought me this and I've been in sheer Heaven:





Still, I'm not sure I might not have preferred the contraption above.....

Planning Our Last Trip To California...

In planning our upcoming trip to California in October, I realize that this will most likely be our last trip out there, since Mr. Snoots dislikes it so much. However, our Snooty Daughter is planning her move back to Texas within the next year, and I thought we should take one more trip out to the West Coast before she does so.

This time, we're staying in Santa Monica, on the beach, rather than a hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Yes, it's costing more, but this will be our 32nd wedding anniversary AND my 57th birthday celebration. Gawd, I'm getting old. So, dues must be paid and Mr. Snooty has complied with and consented to, my planning of this trip. Like he had a choice.

On this trip, we are going to go to Disneyland in Anaheim, for one day. I've wanted to go there my whole life, so we're going. We're also going to drag our dear SD with us, since I know she'll love it too. Besides, I need someone to ride the roller coasters with.

We've been trying to decide on which restaurants to make reservations, but it's been difficult to make any firm decisions. There are so many excellent restaurants in Santa Monica that it would blow your mind. I don't even know where to begin.

I told Mr. Snoots that I wanted to rent bikes one day and ride up & down the boardwalk at Venice Beach and he looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. Okay, that's out. Fine. What about renting roller blades? Nope. That got an even worse scowl from the Mister. Hmmmm... Apparently, all Mr. Snooty wants to do is lie around the hotel room and plan where we're going to eat. Whatever! I want to get out and live a little! So, I guess I'll be doing all that living alone or with SD, when she can.

Does anyone have any grand suggestions?

On another note, my computer has been giving me all kinds of Hell. Our computer Guru says that the mother board is about to bite the dust and I'll probably lose all of my pictures. What?!?! All three million of them?!?! Crap... He's had the parts on order to build us a new computer system, but there's no telling how long that will take. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I might not be able to post to my blog or anything else at some point. This is not good for my online antiques & collectibles shop. But, what can I do? Mr. Snoots needs certain things on the computer for his business, so I'm stuck with whatever comes my way at this point.

On yet ANOTHER note, our son recently made the Dean's List at St. Edward's University and we're SO PROUD of him for all the hard work he has put into his studies. He says he'll be making the list for next semester as well. Way to go Mr. T! Life is GOOD!

Mr. Snooty Celebrates Another Birthday... Always A Good Thing

Yes, another year has passed and dear Mr. Snooty has just celebrated yet another birthday, and I thank God for that! We have another friend who shares the same birthday who invited us out for a night on the town last Friday, which turned out to be a blast and a half. I got kind of tickled when they said they would pick us up in a limo. They did this so that we could all party without fear of DUI or DWI, which was so completely thoughtful. Unfortunately, we were both tired and the band that was playing was so loud it made me nauseous. Yes, that officially makes me an *old fart*, but the band wasn't very good to begin with, which can also make me nauseous. After we ate what seemed like tons of food, Mr. Snoots and I were ready to go home. However, the limo wasn't scheduled to take us home until at least midnight, so (wimps that we are) we called a taxi, said our profound so-sorrys and thank-yous, and headed for home. It was 10:00 PM. Oh Yeah! We. Are. Party. Animals.



Word is that our friends all stayed until the place closed down. The next day when we talked to them, they sounded extremely *rough*, shall we say. We were both immediately glad that we had taken a taxi home.



Since Mr. Snoots' birthday was really a day later, I made a meal for him that was exactly what he ordered. Lobster tail and Prime USDA Choice New York Strip (Surf & Turf, yeah) with garlic bread and Spinach Souffle. It all turned out perfectly. For dessert I made a Rustic Peach Tart that turned out especially well. He was definitely a happy camper when I tucked him into bed.



If you'd like any of the recipes, I should have them up on my cooking blog within a couple of days.



Meanwhile... Although I've been *missing in action*, I'm finally making great strides with the guesthouse as well as the main house. I'd show some pictures of the progress but it still doesn't really reflect the work that I've done. I think I'll just wait until it actually looks like I've done something. So far, I've just been cleaning out all the crap underneath the former work space (which is 10' by 10') and everything I've removed has been stuck as if it were glued, due to the wet carpet from rain damage. Even though the sanitation workers come twice a week to empty our dumpster in the alley, I always seem to find it full. Apparently someone else is as hard at work as I am and they are taking up all the dumpster space.



Last week was filled with workers repairing the many damaged areas of our cedar fence around the property. It took them four days & nearly drove me nuts. We were also convinced that the workers ran off Fernando & Felicia, but then we spotted her out in the garden this evening. We're thinking that when the roofing project begins, they will go screaming away forever, although I hope not. However, Fall is approaching, which is the time when Grey Fox families disperse and go their own ways until February/March, when Fernando & Felicia will once again unite, if they can. From my research I gather that Grey Fox can live approximately 15 years. If that's true, then Felicia should be around for quite some time. One year ago, I believe she was just a pup herself when she was spending so much time on our grounds.



At any rate, when the roofing is finally finished, the house painters will begin on the house & outer buildings. That looks to be fun... I'm fairly certain that it won't be but the outcome will be worth the headaches of listening to the painters scrape & sand for a week. I might have to make a road trip then. Uh-Huh.



With the absence of the fox clan lately, I've started preparing for the fall garden. When I complete the planting (which won't be much), I'll show the progress. It doesn't normally get cold here until late November, so I should have lots of yellow squash, spinach, beets and black-eye peas before then. These all do better in cooler weather anyway, so I'm hopeful.


I've sincerely missed reading everyone's blogs, but I am totally committed to this project (or should I say *these projects*) until I get them finalized. I assume winter will bring plenty of days just right for blogging. For now, I need to be outside and/or working on my projects, so please accept my apologies for my absence. I'm genuinely trying to prioritize and I think it's working!


Please don't think ill of me for being MIA. Instead, please just say a prayer that I can actually tackle these huge projects so that I can come back here and jump back into the groove of things.

A Birthday To Remember....Crossing The Threshold Of 40

First of all, when I was young I thought no one over forty could be trusted and was sure I'd never make it to that landmark birthday. Seriously. Then one day, I turned 40.

My friends had planned ahead of time for this hallmark event in my life by setting up a luncheon, and I was actually thinking that it was going to be a great birthday. Until I got up at 3:00 AM that morning to find my son vomiting hurling his dinner all over himself and his bed. He was so sick! So, I followed the normal procedures to insure he didn't do it again, especially after having changed the sheets & his jammies. I placed a wastebasket by the side of his bed and told him he should use it next time, then come get me.

I went back to bed for about an hour, then we went through the whole rigmarole again at 4:00 AM. If you have kids, then you know the drill.

By morning, he still had a fever so I made him stay home from school. I quickly called someone to babysit for a couple of hours at lunch and she said that she'd be there. I got our daughter off to school after trading carpool days with one of the other moms. Things were really beginning to look up so I started getting ready to go to my birthday lunch.

While I was putting on my makeup, sick boy came in and said his rabbit had gotten out of the cage again and was missing. I said, "No problem. He's around somewhere. We'll find him". When I finished with my makeup, I began helping him look for the rabbit when the phone rang.

It was the sitter saying that she couldn't come. Her child had been sent home from school sick. I was less than thrilled, but dealt with it by frantically calling other sitters. No one was available. So, I called the lunch friends and told them we'd have to cancel. Yada Yada Yada...

Meanwhile... the rabbit was still missing and sick boy was still hounding me about finding it. I finally just told him to go back to bed and I would find the rabbit. Since I wasn't going anywhere anyway, I began an intensive search for said rabbit, going room-by-room and closing doors. I was looking in son's room, and then entered his bathroom, and eventually his shower/commode room. The toilet seat was up and at first glance, I yelled "Okay, who didn't flush the toi..............." My first thought was that there was a turd floating in the bowl, then I realized it was sadly, the rabbit. The dead-beyond-revival rabbit. I guess he was thirsty, although no longer.

I know this is horrible, but I started laughing. I think my laughter must have sounded a bit cuckoo because the next thing I knew, sick boy was standing next to me, staring at the horror in the toilet bowl. "Mom, is my rabbit dead?" I said "Yes honey, I'm afraid he is. It looks as though he jumped in and just couldn't get out". (I purposely didn't mention that I had told him repeatedly to keep his toilet seat closed because of the rabbit.) Then he asked "So why are you laughing?" Being the perfect mom that I am I said, "No, I'm upset and crying", as I tried to make my laughter sound like crying. He wasn't fooled. He turned and went back to his sick bed a very somber boy. So, I joined him at his bed and together, we read The Velveteen Rabbit for the gazillionth time. When we finished the story he said "Maybe Torry (the rabbit) has gone back to being a toy rabbit......... So, when can I get a new one?" Kids are so resilient, aren't they? The next day we had a funeral for the rabbit and buried him in the garden.

Next, it was time for the daughter to arrive home and I was going to have to drop her off at a birthday party that was being held at a hotel. I could not leave sick boy at home alone, so we all piled into the car and off we went. I had to walk her in to the party, so I left the car running and told sick boy to stay put.

As usual, someone started talking to me and I guess about 5 or 10 minutes had passed. Next thing I know, here comes sick boy in his Spiderman jammies and fuzzy Batman slippers. "I thought I told you to stay in the car!" to which he replied "Don't worry Mom, I locked the car." Great! Now, my keys were locked in the car, which was still running. It was at least 45 minutes before we got out of there and I was due to come back to pick the daughter up in about another hour.

I called Mr. Snoots at his office to see if he could pick her up from the party, but he was going to have drinks after work with some friends. How nice for him. I was starting to get pissy at this point and hung up on him. I once again loaded sick boy into the car and we went to fetch his sister while their father was having drinks and speaking adult language with his friends.

That night, rather than going out to dinner, we decided to order some carryout. Guess who had the privilege of going out to get the food? Yes, it was moi. I was actually almost thrilled with the prospect of getting out alone, even if it was only for 15 minutes.

Now, here's where I show how much class I have. When I picked the food up and got it back to the car, I opened his carton and spit a big ole loogie onto his steak and rubbed it in, then turned it over. It was the least I could do. It was my birthday, after all.... I know. I'm evil. Wicked even.

Okay. Fine. I confess. I didn't do anything to his food. I just thought it sounded funnier that way. To those who have a sense of humor anyway. I thought about it though. Does that count?

Twenty Three Years Ago Today.... I Gave Birth To A Mermaid of sorts...

Twenty three years ago today I gave birth to my second child, a daughter, by C-section, when I was midway into my 32nd year. She came out weighing in at 10.2 lbs., screaming right out of the chute (well, it wasn't the hatch so what else could I say?) and my husband's first words were "OMG, that is going to be one stubborn kid". I remember telling him to shut-up, but hey, I was in a little pain, ok? I was so huge (in the stomach area, thank you) that it took them a good 20 minutes of pulling on my arms & legs to get my back arched enough for the epidural. I thank God my doctor was there to give me the epidural because the nurses were actually beginning to laugh & lose strength from the laughter. Oh sure, that was comforting. Feel free to click on any picture for a laugh as well as an enlargement.

Great. I had asked for a general anesthesia, like with the first C-section baby, our son. Unfortunately, my doc said it was too long for the baby to be "under", while they cut through the SCAR TISSUE. Well, that right there pissed me off to begin with. But, once the epidural was successful, my legs were spread (yes, even with a C-section... they kind of tie you down, just in case they get a crazy I suppose) in front of complete strangers who all had on masks (ok, I knew my doctor but he still had a mask on). So, yes, I was in a bit of a mood. You try giving birth to a 10 lb. watermelon. It's not for the faint of heart. And here, dearest daughter, I must tell you that before you were born I wondered if I could ever love another child as much as I loved your brother. I quickly found out the answer to that question and the rest is history.

So, here's this funny little (okay, maybe not little) cherub of a girl that had weighed in at 10 pounds and 2 ounces, when I had been expecting another boy all along. I mean, my freaking stomach sat down long before my derriere caught up. That's how low I carried her. They wouldn't let me on airplanes from 7-1/2 months on. They were scared to death I'd domino on the plane. Whatever, I went full term. Thankfully, a Latino boy weighing 13 lbs. was born about the same time as her and next to him, she did look like a little cherub. I was just grateful his picture made the news & not my daughter's. Imagine living that one down. Biggest Baby Ever Born @ Local Hospital. Ugh! So, even though she was almost teething & walking, she seemed like a petite little thing next to the big Latino Bruiser, lol.

She was born just before Easter weekend and was the best thing I ever received from the good old Easter Bunny. Her first night in the hospital the nurses didn't bring her to me, for some reason. So I decided to be patient but after 20 minutes I started imagining that she'd been kidnapped or something. (You Moms know about this kind of emotional behavior, right?) So, I called the nurses station in a rather panicked voice & asked when they were bringing her to me to be fed. The nurse chuckled & told me that she'd be happy to wake the sleeping angel if I liked, but that she was in sleepyland. Huh? So I told her to definitely not do that. I'd forgotten that babies usually sleep through the night @ 10 lbs. I think that was probably the last time she ever slept through the night. Turns out, she never could "spit up", which caused her to have colic, which made all of us miserable.

A friend once told me that good babies generally tend to make up for that later on and vice versa. Thankfully, she was right. My daughter (who was not an easy baby) has been a joy for me since day one that she got over the colic. It was a rough first year, but she more than made up for that tiny amount of time, later on. She is everything I have ever wanted to be but am not. She has done everything I've ever wanted to do & could not. She is the kind of person I would want to know, even if she weren't my daughter. She is my best friend, although that didn't come to be until roughly college. Yup. I hate that she lives so far away from me and yet, I damn sure don't want any kids back home, lol. I know she's as grateful for this attitude as I am for her respecting said attitude.

That said, I just want to say how thankful & grateful & filled with joy I am, to have had the blessing to have the kind of daughter that she is. We are so totally different even though she looks a lot like I did at her age. She has taught me way more than I think I could have ever taught her and I often wondered, throughout her upbringing, who the parent was. Because it clearly wasn't me all of the time. She's someone I admire for her loyalty & her keen insight into the human mind & for her insane ability to remember everything. She's like a freaking elephant. If she's not doing (at the very least) five different things at once, then she's bored. When I talk to her on the phone, I have to keep a notepad to remember everything she rattles off. It's mind-boggling, really. Ummmm... she is the perfect example of an Aires... not that I believe in that crap.

She kept her nose clean all the way through high school, which means whatever she did do, she & her friends never got caught because they were the class officers & smart kids & had enough sense to not get caught. She made straight A's in all honors classes until senior year, when she made a B in Spanish or something. She played Varsity Soccer throughout high school as well as Club Soccer the entire duration of high school. She always attended Church, Church Youth Group, and Teen Bible Study religiously. She was president of the teen group against drugs & alcohol (although I now know she was not alcohol free, just smart). She was a class officer & National Honor Society member every year from junior high until she graduated and was in Who's Who of American Students. She attended a specialized study course on Government & Politics @ Yale University one Summer and was her high school's MOAS representative to Washington, D.C. for her Junior & Senior years. She was voted the craziest/best in costumes 4 years in a row during "Howdy Week" and was honored with being crowned Prom Queen her senior year. I guarantee you that she has been a wild, wonderful ride for me and for her Dad.

Bad Boyfriend #1 (This guy really blows)

She does have one claim to fame. When in Washington D. C. for her Model Organization of American Students trip, they were visiting the office of Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce, when she promptly fainted in front of everyone. Don was a nervous wreck over it, as was our daughter (afterwards... she'd worn a short skirt that apparently ended up over her head as a result of the fall). I did remind her that if she ever needs a job from them at any future point, it should be easy to remind them of who she is. She got a giggle out of that.

Bad Boyfriend #2 (This guy blows even more than the last one, which is A LOT!)

College was no less impressive. She pledged Thetas @ The University of Texas (I never did sororities) and worked a part time job at a law firm in her spare time (all four years). She also babysat, housesat, was on the UT Waterski Team, made her Debut, and went through two totally unsuitable boyfriends. Incredibly, she still has never smoked. She graduated last May and I have never felt such pride in my entire life. She's spunky, she's sarcastic, she's smart, she's witty, she's a fashionista, and she's fun. But woe unto the person who pisses her off. I think my job is done here. Well, until maybe a wedding and then some grandbabies. (No, that is NOT a hint... just hoping for these sometime before I die.)

So, my dearest daughter, I am wishing you the happiest of birthdays, on this, your 23rd, and hope that you always know how much I love you and how much you mean to me. You were the funniest little kid ever and the most interesting adult I know. I have an odd feeling this wild, wonderful ride isn't quite over yet. YeeeeeHaaaaaaaw! I'm ready. Bring. It. On.

Before I end this I would like to add a passage your Uncle Bill sent to me when you were still a little girl. It's a passage from a book called "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum. Uncle Bill knew, as we did not, that you were destined to be something special & different. Here it is:

Giants, Wizards & Dwarfs was the game to play.

Being left in charge of about eighty children 7 to 10 years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game. It's a large scale version of Rock, Paper, and Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision making. But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.

Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus on group identity - all this no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.

The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass. I yelled out: "You have to decide now which you are - a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf!" While the groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg. A small child stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice "Where do the Mermaids stand?"

Where do the Mermaids stand?

A long pause. A very long pause. "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

"Yes, you see, I am a Mermaid."

"There are no such things as Mermaids."

"Oh, yes, I am one!"

She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf. She knew her category. Mermaid. And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand. She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into the scheme of things..Without giving up identity or dignity. She took it for granted that there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.

Well, where DO the Mermaids stand? All the "Mermaids" - all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes & pigeonholes?

Answer that question and you can build a a school, a nation, a world on it.

What was my answer at that moment? Every once in a while I say the right thing. "The Mermaid stands right next to the King of the Sea!" says I. (Yes, right here by the King's Fool, I thought to myself.)

So, we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they roiled by in wild disarray.

It is not true, by the way, that Mermaids do not exist. I know at least one personally. I have held her hand.

I LOVE THAT STORY! And Uncle Bill was right about you. There isn't a mold into which you fit. I thank God for that.

PLEASE WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!