New spring tools?

We got a lot of snow this winter...and it stuck around.  Today I expect that the last of the snow will finally all melt, but until about 10 days ago I hadn't seen the ground the makes up my yard since before Christmas.  One day this last week I made a tour of the backyard that was uncovered - I was mostly checking to see how my flowers survived the winter and see how much work I needed to do to get ready for spring.  This is what I was inspired to buy:

A "sanitation system".  A Salsa bomb retrieval set-up.  A pooper scooper.  Yeah, I bought a pooper scooper.  I paid money for tools to help me clean up after my dog.  For some reason this really irks me.  Don't know why...it's gonna get used.  Soon.  A lot.  Sigh.

Salsa's many skills does not include...

So several weeks ago during our first real cold spell I was walking Salsa and we were a few blocks away from our house.  Suddenly a little girl comes charging down the walk from her house and she's doing the potty dance, but obviously wants to talk:

Little Girl:  HELLO!!

Me:  Hi!

Little Girl:  Where do you live?

Me:  A couple of blocks that way (pointed west)

Little Girl:  Is that your dog?

Me: (thinking, well she is on a leash that I'm holding...) She sure is!

Little Girl:  So you're just out for a little walk?

Me:  Yes we are, she loves walking in the cold weather!

Little Girl:  Does she talk?

Me: (suddenly confused by the turn this has taken) Ummmm... no (and now thinking do you know any dogs that talk???!)

Little Girl:  So how do you know she loves walking when it's cold.

Me: dumbfounded

Out of the mouth of babes!

Hungry much??

When you're really hungry and everyone is eating except you and they won't share I guess even the table at Red Robin seems pretty tasty!!

PS.  LOVE the fuzzy head!  Look at all that hair!  :)

The best of times... the worst of times

With apologies to Charles Dickens...  The last two weeks have been brutal...  within 10 days Grandma Rose passed away, I got home from her funeral and heard the news about the Aurora movie theater shooting (about an hour away from where I grew up), the next day found out that a new friend I made last summer in Africa had died in an accident, two days later went home to Colorado for a family reunion and then learned that Aunt Carol had passed away.  

The best of times:  getting to see lots and lots of family

The worst of times:  I miss these good people that are no longer here

The best of times:  I have been reminded that I am so blessed with a wonderful amazing family and really, really good friends and co-workers, as evidenced by the many thinking of you texts, emails, phone calls, etc I've received as well as the bouquet (made out of lab tape!) that was on my desk when I came back to work - and yesterday my lab mates surprised me with a picnic lunch and we played bocce ball (my first time ever!).  Thanks to all for the love and support!

The Power In You

This is a very powerful clip of my former Bishop, who lost his pregnant wife and two of his four kids when their car was hit by an underage drunk driver, talking about how he overcame tragedy.  Bishop Williams was never angry, never set on revenge and was, and continues to be, a true example of courage, and Christ-like love.  It's worth the few minutes - check it out:  Overcoming Tragedy